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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25854136">Play me the Song of Death</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Susimau/pseuds/Susimau'>Susimau</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Stealing from Death [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>ATEEZ (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A mix of mythologies but mainly Japanese, Alternate Universe - Gods &amp; Goddesses, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Angel Yeosang, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Blood and Gore, Eventual Smut, God of Death Seonghwa, God of War Mingi, Kitsune Yunho, M/M, Mentioned Other K-pop Artist(s), Sin of Envy Wooyoung, Sin of Greed San, Temporary Character Death, Thief Hongjoong, Unhealthy Relationships</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:20:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>61,432</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25854136</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Susimau/pseuds/Susimau</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Exactly 873 thefts. From tomatoes at the market to the emperor's crown jewels (the ones you could get money out of, of course). Never had he been caught, never was a job too hard for him. He knew every trick, every trap inside and out, he was feared and respected.</p><p>And he had died.</p><p>A shame actually, posterity could have learned a lot from him and he would have loved to reach the thousands of thefts.</p><p>But that was alright because this one theft would make up for everything and turn him from a criminal into a god.</p><p>It was time for him to steal his life from death and go down in history.</p><p>He could hardly wait.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Choi Jongho/Kang Yeosang, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa, Kim Hongjoong/Song Mingi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Stealing from Death [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1899403</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>237</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>326</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Meeting Death</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Name?"</p><p>"Betzalel."</p><p>The reaper gave him a quick look, then he searched his list for his name, sliding a pale bone finger down the long page.</p><p>"You are not on my list," he grumbled out of his black robe and the shadow where his face would be turned to look at Betzalel’s face.</p><p>At a loss, the boy raised his shoulders.</p><p>"I can't help that. It's a self-given name, do you have other lists for those?"</p><p>At his words, the reaper began to rummage wordlessly in his long loose sleeve. The boy heard old parchment crackle, and then he pulled out another, much smaller document.</p><p>Betzalel stepped to his side, unmoved, to help him look for it in case of need. He couldn‘t feel any presence of the other creature and tried to remain calm despite this fact. The shadowed face looked down at the boy confusedly for a moment, then he smoothed the paper a little bit and tilted it in such a way that Betzalel could look at it with him.</p><p>The number of names was little, and Betzalel found his relatively quickly, pointing at the yellowed parchment. "Here, that's me," he smiled triumphantly, and the shadow just stared silently at his title, before crossing it with a bone finger. The black ink disappered with the movement. His name was gone as if he had never existed. Gone like ashes in the wind.</p><p>"Now... Suicide, huh?" Death sounded almost empathic, as empathic as a skeleton with a scythe and black robe surrounded by smoke could appear.</p><p>"Yeah... Life is hard... Was hard," Betzalel said with a sinister nod. His companion sighed softly, and his bones crackled as turned around.</p><p>"Well, let's go... I'll explain everything on the way."</p><p>He floated ahead of Betzalel, towering over him by a good metre (and he was not small, don't listen to his ridiculously big friends.) Betzalel wandered calmly through this strange planetary plane full of smoke.</p><p>"Have you ever thought about designing this differently? A different setting would probably calm people down,” Betzalel made a clever suggestion at the dull surroundings. Death gave no sign of listening to his words, but suddenly there was a blooming flower meadow, endless fields, and ripening trees around them. A blue sky stretched above him, and a cold sun laughed at them.</p><p>Beautiful.</p><p>"Enough people don't feel taken seriously when it looks like this... Recently deceased aristocrats expect a lot of class," the reaper told him seriously, and the boy just nodded, looking around in a good mood.</p><p>"I like it better this way; I'm not picky."</p><p>He could sense there was something between them; it seemed like the reaper liked him. However, he could have been wrong; it might as well be a post-dead stomach growl.</p><p>"Suicide cases become reapers around here; you know that, right?"</p><p>As a matter of fact, Betzalel knew that.</p><p>"Sure did. I just don't know if I'm the right person for this job... Could I be... I don't know, in the armoury as a guard or something?"</p><p>The reaper gave a dry and absolutely soulless laugh, just a plain 'HA HA HA HA.' Betzalel almost snorted, but he caught himself in time.</p><p>"Well, you'll have to ask the boss. We're just the ambassadors."</p><p>Depending on which culture one examined, death was represented differently, and it was almost a pity that this poltergeist was not the only one around. Betzalel would have to worm his way into the bones of another one.</p><p>"At least it sounds as if there is a possibility, that's good,” he naively talked himself into safer waters and humming watched a few fake butterflies fluttering along beside them. They were a high contrast to the somberly wafting figure in front of him.</p><p>Death began to explain to the dead boy that each reaper went through 400 years of training before they were actually licensed to guide souls. He put great weight and severity in his words, but Betzalel listened with only one ear. The sarcastic part inside of the boy finally had an explanation as to why they were all skeletons, thank you very much.</p><p>He didn't quite understand what was so hard about putting a scythe through someone's chest, but then again he didn't have 400 years of training in the field either, he had an excuse.</p><p>The advantages on this side, however, were that one was no longer bound to the biological rules of man. No tummy aches, no growing hair, yeah.</p><p>No more food either, unfortunately.</p><p>But Betzalel guessed he'd have to make that sacrifice in exchange for his lifetime. Once he was immortal, he could eat for all eternity, so his worries in this area were minor.</p><p>Apparently, many women were reapers, too, they were just hard to recognize as such since they were skeletons.</p><p>"How do I address your boss? Do I bow? Does he demand an introduction, or does he already know who I am?” There were lots of questions Betzalel asked on the way to the black door in the middle of the meadow. The reaper - he wouldn't tell the boy his name - reassured him that it would all come naturally, he didn't have to worry.</p><p>"Your mortal sin will be present. You, the boss, me presumably, and a heavenly referee, who unfortunately is part of the package."</p><p>He had more sense of humour than Betzalel would have expected from a man made of bones.</p><p>He was also extremely polite and held the door open for the boy so he could step through. They landed in a black passageway of shiny obsidian, eerily lit by a few torches. Shadows danced over the walls in a nearly mocking way.</p><p>"There's nothing to be afraid of."</p><p>Not that Betzalel’s heart was beating, but thanks for the gesture.</p><p>"King Yama is an Oni, so please don't be alarmed by his appearance. Your mortal sin should be light on the eye, and as for this angel... Well, he usually takes on human form when he's here too. It's easier for everyone if he doesn't light up every damn corner," the reaper grumbled to himself as he handled a cast-iron bunch of keys, closing the black door behind them again.</p><p>Then he told Betzalel to go ahead with a rickety index finger.</p><p>"I'll join you shortly; I just have to get straight out of this dust trap."</p><p>With that, he walked nonchalantly through the next wall and was gone.</p><p>Sure.</p><p>Betzalel let his fingers slide along the surprisingly cool – he had a sense of feeling again - and solid stone, while he walked calmly towards the big door. For his job, he had learned long ago not to hesitate or get nervous. As soon as he finished with this, he was also supposed to find a building plan as quickly as possible and see where the data about the dead was stored here.</p><p>But first, he took a deep breath and then knocked timidly on the dense wood, not expecting to hear an answer due to the sheer mass of the door alone, but in fact, he was invited inside the next second.</p><p>Not that there were seconds there, but you understand.</p><p>The boy trained his face into a cautious and somewhat fearful expression, then he pushed down the heavy handle and pulled.</p><p>Nothing happened, the massive door didn't move a bit.</p><p>For a moment, Betzalel blinked at it confusedly, then he tried it again with more strength. After all, children had to go through here; the door could not be that heavy.</p><p>"It opens to the inside,” a muffled voice laughed from the other side. Instantly, the boy’s face took on the colour of the darkest red in the crayon box, then he finally pressed the door open and stepped inside.</p><p>Taking a deep breath, he raised his eyes, facing death.</p><p>The Reaper had not promised too much. Betzalel did indeed step into a black throne room where three other figures were already waiting for him.</p><p>Of course, his gaze first fell on the plain, black stone throne. On it sat a man, or at least a man's body, for his face was a ghastly black mask that had twisted into a cruel grin. Two horns sprouted from his forehead on the left and right, seeming pointed enough to rip a whole person open. His human body, on the other hand, was rather narrow, not to say undernourished, and beneath his white robe was a chaos of colour on his skin. Betzalel didn't stare at long enough to make any sense out of it, who knew how that demon took it.</p><p>From the oni, who actually managed to make the former human unpleasantly nervous (although everything here was a bit strange and he came prepared), he hurriedly looked at the next figure in the room. It was a young, blond man with white clothes and a large pair of white wings, elegantly folded behind his back, radiating a soft light.</p><p>A faint 'oh' escaped Betzalel as his gaze glided over the shining halo above his head, over his warm smile and the healthy, pure brown of his skin that was peeking out from under his white tunic.</p><p>This man was worth a lot of astonishment.</p><p>It took Betzalel much longer to tear his eyes away from this one. But as soon as he managed, he hurriedly looked up at the last man in the room, who then had to be his mortal sin.</p><p>Seriously, he already looked like a mortal sin.</p><p>His hair was as intensely black as the feathers of a raven, shimmering almost blue. The eerie grin that had formed under his narrow eyes reminded Betzalel again of the oni, who sat wordlessly and gloomily on his throne, scaring the hell out of the poor boy without even lifting a finger.</p><p>Betzalel didn't know what to say. They were more normal than he had expected, but at the same time so unnatural in their endeavoured normalness that it became all the eerier. As a human, he felt mightily unsettled by this trio.</p><p>"Take a deep breath; nothing will happen to you,” the angel then smiled at Betzalel radiantly, and it was delightful, but the Oni did not look as if he was following the well-intentioned encouragement of an angel.</p><p>So the newcomer laughed nervously and glimpsed the angel's warm, chocolate-brown eyes. Calmness washed over him instantly.</p><p>"Thanks, it's just... I hadn't died that many times before," he confessed the obvious shyly, and now the corners of the deadly sin's mouth twitched upwards amusedly. The oni continued to stare at them with creepy, painted eyes.</p><p>Betzalel squirmed a bit under his gaze and clenched his hands.</p><p>"I... I don't really know what to say here... But thank you all for taking the time..." Betzalel muttered uncertainly, just waiting for the oni to pounce on him and rip his throat out. He was thrown off track by his too relaxed manner.</p><p>"Ah, that's all right, that's why we're here. Come here, let me introduce you to everybody. This here is San, your mortal sin, and your coach while you are here," the angel immediately took the initiative and indicated for Betzalel to come closer. While he joined him and San, his gaze twitched anxiously to the motionless oni again and again.</p><p>San continued to grin at Betzalel broadly and then ignored his outstretched hand to enthusiastically take him into his strong arms, pressing the small human too tightly against his sturdy chest for a first hug.</p><p>"I am very pleased to meet you. We'll have a lot of fun together," he murmured privately and in a deceivingly soft voice against his ear. Betzalel was relatively sure that the other two heard it anyway and that his trembling didn't go unnoticed either.</p><p>San took a polite step back, and the human just stared at him wordlessly, not knowing if he had anything to say about their weird encounter.</p><p>"And I am Yeosang, the angel in charge of the palace. If something is ever wrong or you feel maltreated, you can come to me, no need to be shy now." The angel grinned at Betzalel playfully and fascinated, Betzalel’s eyes glided over his little teeth and his long lashes.</p><p>"I'm sure you've read about King Yama," he continued and nodded his chin to the creepy oni, to whom the boy turned only reluctantly.</p><p>He still hadn't moved yet, he might even be asleep, but Betzalel certainly wouldn't nudge him to see if it was true.</p><p>"Go up to him," Yeosang whispered warmly at his ear, but he continued to stand still as if his feet were glued to the ground. Only when the angel gave him a gentle nudge, he managed to stumble towards the dark throne, now pulled as if under a magnetic spell, while the gloating mask seemed to swallow me.</p><p>It was as if he had sucked and consumed the rest of his soul, leaving him cold and empty. He felt incredibly lonely looking at this mask.</p><p>Betzalel fell to his knees at his feet, not daring to look up at him, let alone talk. Rather, he stared only at the claws that grew out of his bare feet, silently admiring the line of black ink that ran around his ankles under his white trousers. As it looked, apart from his hands, feet, and head, he was completely covered with paint.</p><p>Betzalel could have sat like this all day, staring at his slender feet and waiting, but a black claw soon grabbed his face and lifted his chin towards him.</p><p>The boy’s heart tricked him into feeling it freeze once again in his chest, and his eyes became wide as he was forced to look over his calves up to his knees, to his tattooed belly and chest higher and higher. Arriving at his neck, he toyed briefly with the thought of just closing his eyes, of hiding away from the horror mask, but finally rejected the notion, to avoid getting his eyes scratched out of his skull for it.</p><p>But the face he was staring at had changed and taken on a different look. This one no longer grinned cruelly; it was utterly expressionless. The eyes were closed, and the lips just a thin, red line in the otherwise profoundly black face.</p><p>"His name is Betzalel, my king. His real name is unknown," said someone from behind us. It was probably rather the deadly sin, for Yeosang’s voice sounded way warmer, and already, Betzalel longed after to the golden glow of the man.</p><p>The king said nothing about it. He seemed to study the human’s anxiously frozen face from closed eyes for a moment longer; then he let his hand casually fall into his lap. Betzalel’s head sank clumsily back onto his chest.</p><p>Steps could be heard behind them.</p><p>"Is here still- Ah, there he is. He had one more special request, but seems a bit intimidated, may I speak as his assigned reaper?" A new, surprisingly soft, and clear voice asked behind them, and really, Betzalel would have loved to know why the skeleton spoke so differently without the robe, but he wouldn't risk any movement for that.</p><p>"Go ahead,” the oni growled above him, and every one of his hairs stood on end. The demon’s voice seemed terrifyingly deep and bottomless, but the rest of the room remained unimpressed.</p><p>"Well, he said before that cutting souls and stuff probably wasn't his forte and wanted to know if he could be of use somewhere around here."</p><p>Seriously, if he would remain in this realm for eternity and a huge theft wasn't on his agenda, Betzalel wouldn't have hesitated. He would have gotten any soul he saw to be here as little as possible, but now he had to control himself and remained tense while the oni mulled it over.</p><p>"Ask Mingi. I'm sure we'll find something."</p><p>Once again, an icy shiver travelled down Betzalel’s spine. How right was this decision really?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A New Name</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So basically we got a few Japanese mythology names here that might confuse some of you<br/>A shinigami is a reaper<br/>A yokai a demon<br/>A hone-onna is a form of yokai that is truly a skeleton but tricks men into thinking they are beautiful women so they can kill them.<br/>Yama is the God of Death<br/>Hachiman the God of War<br/>An oni is a certain kind of japanese yokai that bring destruction and death<br/>These words will be used a lot in the future ^^ feel free to point out any that I miss</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>San had to pull Betzalel away from the Oni himself in the end, as he couldn't get onto his feet himself anymore. The last time he looked at the face of the demon, his mask had shifted to a smaller, knowing grin. Betzalel was glad to leave this room behind. Hopefully, he would never have to enter it again.</p><p> </p><p>San seemed very happy to hold the boy in his arms. He had settled his steady hand on a rather formed hip, and his grin was mischievous when they met the angel and the reaper outside of the room.</p><p> </p><p>Betzalel’s reaper had also transformed into a young man. He was broad but had a very well-rounded face and a neatly sorted hairstyle. He looked like a high schooler and not a year older. He even had his fingers interwoven in front of his stomach, standing like some sort of priest.</p><p> </p><p>He watched Betzalel attentively from warm brown eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"Choi Jongho," he suddenly said and stretched out his perfectly normal and human hand to the newcomer, gently grasping his fingers when they touched.</p><p> </p><p>In the next moment, Betzalel was already out of San's grip and stood alone and independently between the reaper and the angel, who were now staring down on sin together.</p><p> </p><p>He just raised both of his hands with an innocent grin.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey, you have to hand it to me, he is a true professional in the field of greed. If you two knew all the things, he's done..." He licked his upper lip cheekily, and Betzalel avoided his gaze, staying undercover as long as possible.</p><p> </p><p>"No need to disturb him, as if Hwa wasn't enough..." Jongho shook his head in disgruntlement, and by Hwa, he could only mean the oni.</p><p> </p><p>"Right, especially not while I'm here. Let's go and look for something to eat," Yeosang suggested next with a little grin. San already started to lead the way when Jongho held him back.</p><p> </p><p>"Shouldn't we look for Mingi first? Before he gets labelled an intruder?" <em>And then eaten</em>. Betzalel shivered again, and Yeosang immediately put a hand on his shoulder in a worried manner. It was pleasantly warm and automatically calmed him down immensely.</p><p> </p><p>Betzalel forced more air into his lungs. He could do this. For the sake of eternity.</p><p> </p><p>"How brazen of you to assume that we wouldn't find Mingi there," the angel smiled cheerfully at Jongho and either the human had become completely stupid, or the reaper blushed a little. Surprised, he looked at San, seeking confirmation, but the man only stared at the wall with an empty face, distracted.</p><p> </p><p>Before Betzalel could think about it any further, Yeosang was already pulling him by the arm behind him and straight towards the polished stone. The human’s eyes went wide when he was dragged right towards inevitable pain. He was just beginning to protest when he glided unresistingly through the solid wall. Shaken, he stood on the other side for a moment to catch up with the abnormal happening. Then, he hurried to follow Yeosang, feeling uncomfortable in San's presence.</p><p> </p><p>Not particularly surprising considering his nature.</p><p> </p><p>"Tell us something about yourself! If you are going to stay here, we will see a lot of each other," Yeosang said regardless of the colour of Betzalel’s face at the moment. Again he was standing on lost ground, not knowing how to have a proper conversation with a beautiful angel. Yeosang enchanted him in ways that kept stealing every thought out of his head.</p><p> </p><p>"Umm... Well... I don't know, I'm actually a very attentive and funny boy, but creepily grinning guys make me feel a little insecure. I died in my twenties, or more precisely at twenty-two and- I was a criminal?" He stumbled a bit awkwardly over his performance. Yeosang laughed out loud and cheerfully when he heard this. Betzalel stared at his shining self in wonder.</p><p> </p><p>"How sweet, what have you done wrong?"</p><p> </p><p>"I was a thief." And the best of all, just to mention it.</p><p> </p><p>Understanding shone in Yeosang's eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"Ahh, that explains why San is so attached to you... Did you steal hearts too? Then you're not so different from Hwa!” Betzalel wasn't sure if he should interpret that to the man-eating part of the oni, but Yeosang’s cheesy humour did wonders to cheer him up a bit.</p><p> </p><p>"Never intentionally, but there have indeed been men who have asked for my hand while I plundered their savings..." Betzalel remembered with a wrinkled forehead and this time he made Jongho laugh with it, too. The other man now attentively glanced around Yeosang's impressive wings for the human, not slowing down his pace.</p><p> </p><p>"What did your wife say? Or was she the reason for your suicide?" He asked honestly interested, but with careful politeness. Immediately, Betzalel shook his head frantically.</p><p> </p><p>"I was not married! Nor was I ever engaged," he hurriedly clarified, and now both men stared at him confusedly.</p><p> </p><p>"You are twenty-two!" Yeosang exclaimed accusingly, and Jongho also looked at him with a frown. He seemed to search for missing body parts or any other reason to doubt him.</p><p>"Yes, but still... I just never wanted it," Betzalel confessed somewhat embarrassed. He could hardly explain how his job and ideas to steal from the God of Death had prevented him from doing so. Yeosang now stared with his mouth open, showing his adorable little teeth again. Betzalel pretended not to stare at his lips too intently.</p><p> </p><p>"And your parents?"</p><p> </p><p>Betzalel just raised his shoulders. He’d never met them.</p><p> </p><p>"I grew up with my mentor. He cared more about training me than marrying me."</p><p> </p><p>Jongho looked impressed.</p><p> </p><p>"I can't believe it... When I was your age, I had two sons and a daughter."</p><p> </p><p>Jongho, over 400, father of a large family.</p><p> </p><p>A funny thought, especially regarding his young face.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh dear, then we really must be careful with San... Greed and everything," Yeosang said ominously. However, before explaining further, he opened the door in front of them like an average person (angel.)</p><p> </p><p>Inside was a long black table with 17 chairs on it and a massive silver chandelier that shimmered promisingly hung from the ceiling. At the top of the table, there sat a single man, who had a whole feast spread out in front of him and was happily eating as they entered.</p><p> </p><p>Betzalel lovingly stared at all the riches he couldn’t steal. Materialistic things had no value for him anymore. He also spotted another door opposite them. It was flanked by two women, who seemed strangely out of place in the otherwise so dark and empty room. They were oddly decorative, like dolls.</p><p> </p><p>"Mingi, have you saved us some?" Yeosang called down to the man immediately after he entered and hurried to grab a piece of meat from the plate of the gloomy-looking guy. He received an indignant slap on the fingers.</p><p> </p><p>"Go get your own stuff, hog! Damn, if I could feed you to Hwa, really..." The strange man launched into complaints that only made Yeosang giggle harder. The man called Mingi soon gave up though and discarded his food as looked up curiously at the rest of the group. He ignored Yeosang serving himself hungrily.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, visitors?" He inquired curiously and raised a dark eyebrow to scrutinise Betzalel. It was a favour he gladly returned.</p><p> </p><p>Mingi looked calmer than the other two clowns. He carried himself with a sublime air, accentuated by his elegant black outfit. Betzalel decided he was less terrifying than particular other residents. While his face seemed serious and intimidating, his deep voice was rather soothing.</p><p> </p><p>Jongho's hand found the human’s shoulder, squeezing it encouragingly.</p><p> </p><p>"Yep, I collected him earlier. Do we have anything for him to do around here? A scythe is not his thing."</p><p> </p><p>Nervously Betzalel looked at Mingi, who watched him with a penetrating look. He seemingly stared directly into his secret plan, making him clench his fingers nervously.</p><p> </p><p>Then suddenly he moved, and Betzalel flinched, but he just kicked Yeosang's butt, so that he finally took his paws off his food and only then looked seriously at them again. Betyalel allowed himself to breathe. The man had lost some of his intimidating façades.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, I can think of something... but it's probably not a very nice idea."</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Betzalel had lost his appetite after Mingi had made his suggestion.</p><p> </p><p>Apparently, it had become such a habit for many dead people to eat that they simply continued to do so. Betzalel was no different from Jongho in that regard. His still confused brain asked for food anyway. Yeosang and Mingi, on the other hand, needed real food, just like Yama -  the oni - did.</p><p> </p><p>Betzalel pulled a face again at the thought of this.</p><p> </p><p>"You can't be serious, if even scythes are too bad for him, how could he do such a thing?</p><p> </p><p>"He's not killing anyone! He's just taking them to Seonghwa. They always trust a boyish-looking person more than a broad guy, and we can't just send the hone-onnas out there, how can that work?! He would take a lot of work off our hands," Mingi quarreled heatedly, while Yeosang ate cheerfully. San looked up at them from time to time between his slow bites to stare at one of the three with terrifying intensity.</p><p> </p><p>Betzalel sat silently between the two bickering men and tried to digest the thought Mingi had presented to him earlier.</p><p> </p><p>Lead groups of people here so the yokai in here could feed on them? Instead of becoming a shinigami? What was more harmless?</p><p> </p><p>Staying here would be an advantage for his mission, and he wasn't squeamish either but dealing with Yama so directly wasn't his cup of tea. He would rather hide away in some corner.</p><p> </p><p>"What do you say? What's your name anyway?" Mingi turned to Betzalel exhausted, and he just blinked at him.</p><p> </p><p>"Betzalel... I am Betzalel." He murmured sheepishly and then blinked searchingly to Jongho, who was still sitting opposite of him with arms crossed in defiance. Waiting, he met his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"I am- I'm not quite such a fan of this idea. But I think I could get used to it after some time. Mingi mentioned that they're just criminals anyway. That's better than children and old ladies." He delayed his fabricated opinion to him carefully. Jongho just sighed resignedly; then he nudged Yeosang beside him.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey. Say something, man. You're supposed to be our moral authority here."</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang looked up at them with full hamster cheeks, looking adorably warm and familiar even now.</p><p> </p><p>"I am, but not iff it'f about the efficafy of yokai," he mumbled indistinctly about his bite, then focused his plate again with renewed vigour while Mingi just snorted amusedly. The angel looked adorable like this.</p><p> </p><p>"He's not even moral when it comes to his own eating habits," San finally contributed to the conversation. He seemed to have listened after all, and this time Jongho sighed, too.</p><p> </p><p>"Fine, do whatever you want. I still don't think this is something for a young boy and even less for someone who would consider it instead of the scythe," he grumbled reluctantly and ended the discussion, surrendering to hunger as well.</p><p> </p><p>Betzalel turned back to Mingi.</p><p> </p><p>"Excuse me, but... Who exactly are you?" He inquired curiously. He had already forgotten about the food anyway, and Mingi lifted an amused eyebrow. He exchanged a look with San.</p><p> </p><p>"You haven't guessed yet?" He replied amused, and slowly Betzalel shook his head. His thoughts were still filled with oni and human sacrifices.</p><p> </p><p>"It's a title that San swears everyone notices at first sight,” he winked at the expressionless sin in amusement, "I am Hachiman."</p><p> </p><p>Ah, the God of War, of course, he sat in these halls. Betzalel gave a careful nod that got him a little smile from the other man.</p><p> </p><p>"We should give you another name. Betzalel is a bit- Well, suspicious.”</p><p> </p><p>Betzalel had been a young boy the nameless man had met in the dirty streets of his hometown both of them lived in. The younger child had been very ill and couldn't make it through a harsh winter after a long friendship and companionship in thievery. However, his eyes had always been full of fighting spirit, and his movements had been like the shadows he was named after.</p><p> </p><p>After his death, the lost boy had received Betzalel’s name and had soon perfected his art of thieving as a tribute for his friend. The name probably did not suit him, just as it was not his to claim in the first place. However, he had no real name. He could only share since he and Betzalel had always shared everything.</p><p> </p><p>"Guys, any suggestions?" Mingi turned to the crowd while Betzalel was still lost in thought about the past. Each of their companions added their oars.</p><p> </p><p>"Gullible," came from Jongho.</p><p> </p><p>"Blondie." From San.</p><p> </p><p>"Hongfoong." From Yeosang.</p><p> </p><p>"What's a Hongfoong?" Mingi questioned curiously, and Yeosang chewed for at least 15 seconds more before his mouth was empty enough to speak.</p><p> </p><p>"Hong. Joong." He then emphasised again, and in surprise, Betzalel raised an eyebrow. It was a beautiful name. All eyes found his form and scrutinised whether he fitted for that name.</p><p> </p><p>"Passes," Jongho muttered first, and all the others joined in.</p><p> </p><p>"Then, from now on, it shall be Hongjoong. That's how you will introduce yourself to the victims, and we will call you that way so that there will be no misunderstandings. Think of it as part of your new identity.”</p><p> </p><p>Mingi's smile was much warmer than that of a war god was supposed to be. Maybe Hongjoong looked into his eyes just a tad bit too deeply. He finally had his own name.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>After lunch, Hongjoong was handed over to San. He tried to console himself with the fact that it was better than Yama after all, but that was all he could do. Even Mingi, the literal God of War seemed more relaxed than the grinning garden gnome at Hongjoong’s side.</p><p> </p><p>San’s mission was to show the newcomer his room, and he couldn't wait how long it took him to break and do something strange.</p><p> </p><p>And the time had come now.</p><p> </p><p>One moment he was walking peacefully and passively beside Hongjoong, the next the human was already stumbling against the next wall. San jumped him without any sort of warning and pressed a sharp knife against his throat. Their bodies pressed against each other uncomfortably.</p><p> </p><p>The air got stuck in Hongjoong’s throat, and he panicked with his eyes widening. He didn't even know if he could die here again and neither could he give away his fighting skills too quickly. So instead, he fought his instincts back and met San's intense eyes, which continued to lie heavy on him. It seemed like he could see it all.</p><p> </p><p>"Beautiful... More, show me more," he whispered madly and with a small, sadistic smile curling around the corners of his mouth. The blade pressed deeper against Hongjoong’s neck, and he felt the first blood soak his collar.</p><p> </p><p>The man was insane.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong’s hand flew up to grab his wrist, yanking at it fruitlessly.</p><p> </p><p>"H-Hey! That's enough!" He tried to resist with grit teeth. The fascination on San’s face as he greedily drank up Hongjoong’s reactions was terrifyingly eerie.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong swallowed shallowly against the knife in his skin, toying briefly with the idea of actually kicking San off- However, as it seemed that would probably not end well for the human. He was trapped in the greed that had overcome San as he hungrily watched more red spill.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong’s fingers trembled around his unyielding wrist. San was too close, and he licked his lips in the same fashion as before. Hongjoong almost choked on the weight of the darkness in his gaze. The knife pressed deeper, and for a frantic moment, Hongoong thought he had to die (again.) But then, San stepped back abruptly, out of Hongjoong’s vicinity and away from the wound.</p><p> </p><p>His face was as closed off as before, but his eyes were shining unpleasantly. It was the gaze of a child who had found something new to play with. But said child was armed and extremely dangerous. He made Hongjoong’s dead heart pretend to race with fear and uncertainty in this unknown world.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong barely dared to lift his head, let alone reach for his neck. He was too afraid of feeling the wound under his fingers and never forgetting the cringe.</p><p> </p><p>And its throb was already very disgusting.</p><p> </p><p>San turned around brusquely a few seconds later and started marching down the aisle again, not saying anything. With a grimace, Hongjoong shuffled after him.</p><p> </p><p>So far, everything was going great.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Settling Down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hongjoong was relatively sure that his room looked like any other here, but it still fascinated him. In his lifetime he had never been particularly wasteful. He had always lived with less than he could afford and had been satisfied like that.</p><p>But here, with the big bed made of black obsidian and the equally black silken sheets, with a noble, gothic fireplace, a massive desk and adorably soft carpeting (of course all in black) he felt surprisingly comfortable.</p><p>San gave Hongjoong a moment to look around in amazement, then nodded his head towards the window.</p><p>"I'll send you a bat when it's time for training. You should at least know a few basics," he said smoothly, then he left, leaving Hongjoong alone in his admittedly relatively dark room.</p><p>Okay, time for plans.</p><p>No, time to wash up first.</p><p>Hongjoong didn't know if the castle was formed according to his imagination, if the yokai lived like this or if they were paying special attention to freshly dead people. However, he did find an almost unnecessary shower in a modern and (surprise!) also completely black bathroom that was adjacent to his room.</p><p>While standing under the warm water, he tried to come up with an ingenious plan to get access to the crucial data and oversee this building. Something of such great importance as people’s lifetimes might have been hidden behind one of the walls that he could only pass with help. That meant he would need to get closer with the people inside here.</p><p>But who would be the best fit? Surely not San.</p><p>Hongjoong shivered at the reminder, instinctually looking around for first aid. However, in the end, he saved this problem for later and focused on mediation, for now, trying to ban all yokai and knives from his head.</p><p>In the end, he thought of Yeosang. Yeosang was a good approach, and if he read all the characteristics correctly, Jongho was not the only one who had a little crush on the angel.</p><p>Cute, wasn’t it? Ah, the joys of death.</p><p>Hongjoong was peaceful until he remembered Yama again and whimpered a bit. He hurriedly got out of the shower before the hallucination of bathing in blood instead of water overcame him. He was so looking forward to the upcoming nightmares in this strange world with even stranger people. He wondered if Yeosang could help with those?</p><p>As he sneaked out of the steaming bath with a large towel knotted in front of his chest, Mingi was in his room. As Hongjoong stepped out, the man about to tie the curtains with a cord and put them away neatly. As soon as his gaze fell on Hongjoong, he turned away in a hurry.</p><p>"Excuse me... I just knew San probably wouldn't be any help to you and I wanted to explain some things."</p><p>He was clearly not busy enough. Which was a good thing, because it meant less killing.</p><p>"I like it. Then you can explain about clothes first." Hongjoong replied relaxed and left the bathroom door open but went to close the still opened door to the room.</p><p>Mingi looked surprised by his calmness.</p><p>Well, his shoulders and calves were no shocking revelation, after all...</p><p>"Oh, sure. It all depends on what you want to wear, depending on how you start, your wardrobe will lay itself out." Mingi started casually and went over to the big wardrobe in question. He waved Hongjoong over to join him at his side.</p><p>"You either have the choice to open it right away and reach for something you like; then it will make similar clothes appear in the future. Or you open the doors with a specific thought, then you get the requested item. Let me demonstrate." With those words, he resolutely grabbed the two knobs and opened the wardrobe, revealing veritable chaos of pink and white onesies, one fluffier than the next.</p><p>Enthusiastically Hongjoong grabbed one designed like a cow and cuddled it, never letting go.</p><p>"Super system," he said with gleaming eyes, and Mingi grinned down at him knowingly. "It's the same with food, but I'll explain that to you downstairs. Do you want to try it yourself, or-"</p><p>Hongjoong shook his head and grabbed another pair of white underwear and furry shoes that were on the bottom of the closet. With his fluffy presents, he hurried back towards the bathroom.</p><p>"Nope, I'm satisfied! Thanks, give me a minute."</p><p>It was so cosy.</p><p>Warmly wrapped up in the form of a cow and with his black hair curling wetly, Hongjoong stepped back outside minutes later. Mingi laughed benevolently at his sight and patted Hongjoong’s fluffy head approvingly.</p><p>"Okay, let's take a little tour now, people who don't walk through walls tend to get lost here at first," he grinned with motivation and hey, that was a pretty good excuse to stray around. Before they left, Mingi explained Hongjoong’s window to him. Behind the large piece of glass, a dreary grey fog had been hanging until now. Soon a pale full moon was shining, when Hongjoong knew how to project the illusion of a scenery.</p><p>"We are inside a kind of tower, the Obsidian Tower, as I call it." Seemed accurate.</p><p>"Downstairs is the hall you saw yesterday. It's all most people who arrive here get to see. Usually, they're sent elsewhere for shinigami training, but that doesn't concern you now." He smiled again, this time with his eyes disappearing into crescents. Hongjoong decided that Mingi was his favourite at the moment besides Yeosang.</p><p>Jongho was third place.</p><p>"Above, or next to it - if you use the walls - is our dining room. Please remember that, from the point of the throne room, walking through the left walls you always go up, right leads down. You should never go lower than the throne room."</p><p>Why should Hongjoong go to the throne room in the first place?</p><p>But that information was very interesting and a vital warning, he would remember it.</p><p>"On the third floor, you will find the armoury and training quarters. San will take you there later on." Mingi’ eyes fell on the now clean wound at Hongjoong’s neck. The human was not afraid of bacteria here, but it explained itself. At least it seemed as if San’s grudge wasn’t directed at him only.</p><p>"And then, number four, which is here. Only those who live here permanently live on this floor. Me, Yunho (who Hongjoong would probably meet later), Yeosang, and you at present. The three floors above belong to Seong-Yama. As long as you don't have a job there, they are not taboo, like downstairs, but well. It's good to leave the King alone, mostly.” His grin looked tense.</p><p>Ah.</p><p>"Jongho doesn't live here?" Hongjoong deliberately forgot to ask about San.</p><p>"He doesn’t, no, the reapers have a different centre, as I mentioned. But you'll see a lot of him here still. He has... reasons." Mingi’s smile became soft again and even a little incredulous before he shook his head, amused.</p><p>Hongjoong believed to know what it was all about.</p><p>"Oh, and San manifests himself wherever he pleases to, but he's quite comfortable here. You will not be able to see the other deadly sins unless they manifest themselves on purpose. But that is unlikely to happen."</p><p>He looked thoughtfully around the aisle, then loosely put his hands in his pockets.</p><p>"Ah, and the Hone, they only hang out at Yama's, but now and then you see some on the floor where he's staying. They are...unnecessary bodyguards and will probably work with you a lot if you take the predator feeding as a job." He seemed to apologise indirectly about even announcing the offer in the first place, but Hongjoong would be fine.</p><p>He didn’t have too many problems with the odd job. He just needed to play his role.</p><p>"Okay, that should be about it... Ah, in order" He raised his hand and pointed to one door after another in the round corridor, "door to the staircase, my door, Yunho's door, Yeosang's door, your door and door to the terrace. There you will find the gardens."</p><p>Great idea, what would the gods of the underworld think of next? A library? A library would be neat.</p><p>He asked for it more mainly for fun, but Mingi’s eyes flashed with joy when he heard about it.</p><p>"We have one, indeed! But it's..." He pointed only slightly upwards. "Just tell me what you're interested in next time, and I'll dig out some books for you. It's about time for now."</p><p>He nodded at Hongjoong’s door, on the frame of which a small black bat had positioned itself and angrily gleamed at them from red eyes.</p><p>Hongjoong sighed.</p><p>Mingi patted his head encouragingly.</p><p>"Put on something tight enough to give you enough freedom of movement. I'll bring some ointments for wounds."</p><p>-</p><p>San wouldn't be nice to Hongjoong.</p><p>Of course, he wouldn't.</p><p>That would have been... well, too nice.</p><p>Hongjoong rolled around on the floor, coughing a few meters from him and tried to get the air that San had squeezed out of his lungs back into them. He didn’t even want to question whether he had to breathe or not.</p><p>"I'm glad you already know some things. Against humans, it will probably do, but I can't guarantee anything if you're attacked by an oni." San’s eyes were glinting cruelly and, no kidding.</p><p>Grunting, Hongjoong jumped back onto his feet and took on his preferred fighting position again. He wouldn't give in so easily.</p><p>"I shouldn't reach the point where I fight an oni. So, what's the problem?" They started circling each other again, both full of feline elegance. The sole difference was that Hongjoong was already covered in bruises and contusions while San wasn't even sweating.</p><p>"I've had my fair share Hone throw themselves at me. Who knows, maybe Yama's commanders will find something in you."</p><p>Hongjoong understood why the residents got the urge to wring his neck; understood it all too well.</p><p>Surrendering to the need Hongjoong jumped towards him, gliding swiftly around his figure. With elegant moves, he positioned himself on San’s shoulders and dug his fingers into his hair as he grabbed Hongjoong’s ankles.</p><p>"Who says… that they don’t want… something else from you?" Hongjoong labouredly asked between breaths, as they struggled busily together. San’s grips were fast and purposeful. He knew how to hurt people.</p><p>"As I said..." He laughed out of breath. "Maybe his generals will find something in you."</p><p>Okay, ew.</p><p>The thought of an oni... No.</p><p>Hongjoong swung one leg from San’s shoulder to push it into his spine instead. He used his new grip to put the second leg around his neck, strangling him a little.</p><p>San grabbed Hongjoong’s leg by his thigh and ankle and brutally threw him off with a sudden bow. Hongjoong again landed hard on his back and groaned in pain. He was glad he hadn’t broken anything yet.</p><p>"You look prettier when you suffer," San remarked charmingly down at Hongjoong’s dishevelled and sprawled out form. Mockingly grinning, he danced aside as Hongjoong kicked at him.</p><p>"You know, this is why you don't have a girlfriend." Probably.</p><p>San, however, just grinned and wiped some blood from the corner of his mouth where Hongjoong had scratched him earlier before he told the human to get up again.</p><p>"Fine, I'll show you how to avoid being cut in half. Be a good fellow and reward me with some pain, huh?"</p><p>Hongjoong kicked him in the face.</p><p>-</p><p>As expected, Hongjoong was feeling even more dead after training with San. Slowly and sluggishly, he returned to his chambers, his legs protesting against the many steps. Exhausted, he staggered into his room, not used to wrestling, when he rather relied on skill and speed. Once inside, he treated all the wounds he could find and reach, then he jumped under the shower once more within a short time. Finally, he shuffled off to eat something feeling thankful for the routine.</p><p>He passed the two hone-onnas in front of the door to the second floor without noticing them and stumbled clumsily into Jongho's chest when his feet didn't quite do what he wanted them to do. They crashed into each other in the doorway with surprised sounds. The reaper caught Hongjoong in the end and had to strain to keep him upright. Ultimately, Hongjoong’s legs gave way entirely underneath his body (something was wrong), and he almost fell on the cold floor. Jongho worriedly grabbed him tighter.</p><p>"Hey! What happened to you, that's-"</p><p>A warm hand found Hongjoong’s shoulder, and he blinked several times to focus his gaze on a blurred Yeosang. He had appeared anxiously by Jongho's side, his lips curling downwards. Hongjoong missed his usual gentle smile.</p><p>"Man, what have you done to him?” Jongho scolded San over Yeosang's head. The sin was eating undisturbed at the table.</p><p>"It's Mingi's fault; you should have provided Y right away. It's just a concussion... and the foot is cracked, no need to get upset.” The man rolled his eyes annoyedly. Yeosang's hand tenderly found Hongjoong’s head and settled warmly against his temple.</p><p>Faintly he closed his eyes, still struggling to stand by himself. Finally, he felt two more hands touching his head, then all the pain and the diffuse blockage in his head suddenly disappeared. It was like magic as if a gust of wind had cleared him of any ligaments. His whole body felt immediately better, the tiredness and agony replaced by a balanced, healthy feeling.</p><p>He even felt better than he had before the encounter with San. Even his anxiety was cured.</p><p>"They didn't know each other yet; you could have been nicer, you moron! Greedy bastard..." Jongho scolded him angrily, while Hongjoong was able to look around again. He gave doe-eyed Yeosang a cautious smile which he returned in relief.</p><p>"Back with us again?" At Hongjoong’s nod, he grinned infectiously again. "Okay, Hongjoong, this is Yunho, our Kitsune who runs the place. Yunho, this is our newest addition." He pointed to the other man behind Hongjoong - a real giant, and Hongjoong. Wasn't. Small. He looked peaceful and friendly with his electric blue hair and shining eyes.</p><p>"Hello," Hongjoong said politely and bowed this time. He didn’t want to get into unwanted hugs again. Yunho returned the gesture with a small smile and a shy little wave of both of his big hands.</p><p>Hongjoong counted his nine elegant blue tails.</p><p>His presence here explained a lot in the tower, and even if he didn't seem to be angry with them, Hongjoong decided to stay on guard. Who knew what pact he had with the yokai.</p><p>By the way...</p><p>Mingi and San were still sitting at the table; the former having watched their exchange with a frown, while the sin just ate unbothered. However, what was far more fascinating was the last man at the table, whom Hongjoong wouldn't have recognised at all if there weren't the many tattoos peeking out of his open coat.</p><p>Hongjoong suddenly missed his mask.</p><p>Because the face he wore underneath was frighteningly beautiful. Immaculate, tanned skin, slightly curly hair that he had slicked back and plush lips were showing.</p><p>It was worthy of the face of an angel, were it not for the eerie black, cold eyes of a murderer.</p><p>As Hongjoong shivered, Yeosang's hand found his shoulder again and provided warmth. Still, nothing could replace the icy coldness that the gaze of oni had left in his heart.</p><p>Not even an angel as warm and golden as Yeosang.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. First Mission</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As it turned out, Yama liked to keep his roommates company while eating. Hongjoong sincerely hoped that they would not have to return the favour. So, he tried to oversee the yokai as successfully as possible and either focused on his food or on the conversation he had going with Yeosang. The sweet angel still seemed to be very interested in Hongjoong’s time on earth. In return, he didn't dare ask any of them how they had become what they were today, too prone to put his foot in his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>Yama didn't participate in the conversation. He seemed to prefer to listen to their banter in silence, and it made ignoring him a little easier.</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang even managed to get Hongjoong involved in a discussion about heaven and hell that captivated him enough to make him forget the presence of the silent oni.</p><p> </p><p>It was interesting to see how an angel sat at a table with a bunch of demons and couldn't feel more comfortable. Who knew, maybe the dramatic novels about the inhabitants of heaven and hell, who loved each other but could never be together were simply exaggerated.</p><p> </p><p>Much rather Hongjoong hung on his lips in fascination, was probably not a bit better than Jongho opposite him. Both of them listened to Yeosang's completely normal-sounding tales of what he had experienced here so far and how he had ended up here.</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang had indeed been sent here as a watchdog, but in the end, he was just enjoying the chicken they served him. Hongjoong felt very much connected to him.</p><p> </p><p>It was indeed easier to get in than he had expected.</p><p> </p><p>Until the next day, it was his first day at work.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong hadn't even been warned. He didn’t have the time to prepare mentally. Furthermore, he was in the middle of a wild stabbing session with San, when suddenly two hones appeared at the door and wordlessly indicated to him to come with them.</p><p> </p><p>Surprised, Hongjoong glanced at San, who was bleeding from the side. Silently he urged him to hurry before he took the knife from Hongjoong’s hand and disappeared further back into the armoury.</p><p> </p><p>San had stabbed him deeply the shoulder, and on the way up (they took the stairs), Hongjoong was now holding the still open wound which made his clothes stick to his body disgustingly. With futile attempts, he tried to stop the blood flow at least a little bit.</p><p> </p><p>From what San had told him, he couldn't bleed to death or anything like that, but he was still able to pass out at some point. They used gloves in combat from that day on. San had found them a mat to train on, also, and instead of real daggers, they only battled with less dangerous scalpels.</p><p> </p><p>That's why he wouldn't faint now, but that didn't mean he welcomed the wound.</p><p> </p><p>However, Hongjoong quickly lost this concern as he climbed further up past the fourth floor, following the hones’ bony feet that were clacking softly in the darkness.</p><p> </p><p>They found themselves on the fifth floor, where the two hones let him into another hall, which was similarly constructed to the throne room. The difference was a Japanese-styled dining table on the floor, and Yama sat on top of the already prepared table instead of a throne. The room was empty except for him.</p><p> </p><p>Okay, if he now planned to eat Hongjoong here, he was screwed.</p><p> </p><p>Hopefully, he smelled enough of San and sweat that the god would reject the idea.</p><p> </p><p>When he entered, Yama looked up at him lazily. He had drawn one knee towards him and put his arm on it while his other leg rested beside him comfortably.</p><p> </p><p>His dark eyes glided from Hongjoong’s face to his shoulder, which he still held slightly cramped, and stuck there. Well, better than looking directly at him.</p><p> </p><p>"Go with Mingi into the forest and catch the group of hunters there. Bring them to me," Yama said gravely. Intimidated, Hongjoong just nodded before he hurriedly took off and ran down the stairs again, simply assuming that Mingi was already waiting for him in the entrance area.</p><p> </p><p>He was right about that too, but the fellow god looked quite surprised that Hongjoong was hurt.</p><p> </p><p>"San really stabs you with knives? I need to have a serious word with him... Are you okay?" He inquired worriedly as soon as they met. Hongjoong nodded cautiously, not wanting to keep their resident oni waiting.</p><p> </p><p>"Okay, come on. Today I'll explain everything to you and come with you, but next time you'll have to consult with H- Yama yourself and then go off on your own. It will seem harder than it is."</p><p> </p><p>With that, he opened the door through which Hongjoong had arrived with Jongho for the first time. They stepped out into a dense coniferous forest, and the door disappeared behind them again.</p><p> </p><p>"You see, Yunho's doors are automatically programmed to lead you to where you are sent. But watch out, next time you go through a door, it will take you straight back." Alright, noted.</p><p> </p><p>"Depending on the people, you may need different tactics to get them to follow you into the lion's den. You can't particularly learn one technique. You'll get the hang of it eventually. The fact that you were a thief means that you have a keen sense for opportunities, that will come in handy." Mingi explained patiently and then grabbed a dagger from his belt. Before Hongjoong got even to furrow his brow, Mingi already rammed the weapon deeply into his forearm, ignoring Hongjoong’s horrified inhale.</p><p> </p><p>Mingi kept poking around in the open wound until Hongjoong felt sick and Mingi’s arm was a single deep wound. Only then he put the weapon away again.</p><p> </p><p>"Excuse me." With that, he came a little closer and smeared his blood all over Hongjoong’s injured shoulder, making his wound look much worse than it actually was.</p><p> </p><p>Mingi smelled like smoke.</p><p> </p><p>"Okay, let's act." Mingi swiftly pointed Hongjoong to lay down on the soft and mossy forest floor and then knelt next to him to pull his form into his healthy arm. For the setup, he put his injured arm loosely over Hongjoong’s stomach.</p><p> </p><p>"Shut your eyes. You play dead frog now until I tell you that you may open your eyes again.” Mingi grinned at him in a good mood. Immediately Hongjoong went limp in his grip, letting his head roll against the other man’s strong shoulder. Mingi adjusted him one last time before he began to scream for help loudly and desperately.</p><p> </p><p>It didn't take long for Hongjoong to enjoy only the warmth of the other's body against his, then the bushes started rustling, and heavy footsteps approached.</p><p> </p><p>"Who are you?" A male voice asked roughly, and Mingi pulled Hongjoong even closer.</p><p> </p><p>"We were just... He wanted... A wild boar attacked us and injured my boyfriend severely! Can you please help us?" Mingi begged the guy very convincingly. Hongjoong tried to manually wish some more colour out of his face while another man just laughed out loud.</p><p> </p><p>"Ah, greenhorn, you should know that it's not safe in these woods. You'd better keep your little one at home in bed where nothing will attack you!" The first one laughed dirtily. Hongjoong forced himself not to jump up and break his neck, feeling Mingi's thumb draw soothing circles in his upper arm.</p><p> </p><p>"I... Yes... Yes, I know... we don't live far from here, but I can't carry him, and oh God, what if it comes back?" Mingi continued to whine, and clothes rustled. After a tense second Hongjoong was taken out of Mingi's arms and transferred to the grip of a big, hulking man, who immediately threw him carelessly over his shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong gritted his teeth and remained convincingly motionless when they ordered Mingi to show the way.</p><p> </p><p>"We are camping nearby with a friend of ours, but you know how it is..." Mingi lied like a champion, and again the men laughed. Hongjoong noticed six of them.</p><p> </p><p>"Of course, you wouldn't want him to steal your darling from you, right?"</p><p> </p><p>They laughed again and then walked peacefully with Mingi through the absolutely harmless forest towards the supposed hut.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong didn't really see anything, but he could hear the wood creaking under their feet not much later and then a door opened.</p><p> </p><p>He held his breath.</p><p> </p><p>"Mingi what- What happened to you?! And Hongjoong? Were you attacked?"</p><p> </p><p>Yama's voice sounded strange when he spoke like that, very artificial and false.</p><p> </p><p>But the guys bought it.</p><p> </p><p>"We had to save your little friend here; we hope you have enough good sake to make up for it." The voice of the man holding him was treading a thin line between threatening and joking. Hongjoong restlessly shifted his eyes under his lids.</p><p> </p><p>"Sure, I do. Come on, hand him over."</p><p> </p><p>Oh, God, please don't.</p><p> </p><p>All praying was useless in a place like this, for already slim hands grabbed Hongjoong’s hips to gather him from the hunter's shoulder. Yama held him more cautiously than expected, but he still shied away from the oni’s body, trying to make as little contact as possible.</p><p> </p><p>Yama silently accepted it and carried him out of the room where he was carefully put down as soon as they were out of the hunters' sight.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong kept his eyes closed. Who knew what it looked like back here, it certainly didn't smell right.</p><p> </p><p>"Leave him here; I still have to talk to him. You go and take care of yourself," Yama said subduedly to Mingi, who in the meantime had grabbed onto Hongjoong’s arm again to stabilise him. He seemed to want to say something, but it got stuck.</p><p> </p><p>"Okay. Enjoy your meal."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong shivered.</p><p> </p><p>Yama left as Hongjoong turned his head in the direction he thought Mingi was in.</p><p> </p><p>"Can I open my eyes?" He asked quietly, and Mingi made an indistinct sound.</p><p> </p><p>"No, don't... I'll just clean up this mess and be right back, okay?"</p><p> </p><p>Everything inside of Hongjoong was reluctant to stay, even after Mingi had removed all inconveniences from the room. By now, they were just standing around helplessly.</p><p> </p><p>"I don't know what to say... He won't want to see me there, but I don't want you to see him like this." The god struggled with himself and kept looking nervously at the door, through which luckily, no noises came through. Hongjoong was still satisfied without a performance, thank you very much.</p><p> </p><p>"You should leave... He'll only get angry if you're still here. As far as I know, I didn't do anything wrong; I'll fix it." Hongjoong pretended to be stronger than his sensitive stomach felt at the moment, and Mingi didn't look convinced either but sighed submissively at his words.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, I'll go and prepare some food for you and tell Yunho. Take care of yourself, even if I don't think he will hurt you." With that, he affectionately ran a hand through Hongjoong’s hair and then disappeared through the nearest wall. Hongjoong was left alone between dried bloodstains on the wood and hideous meat hooks.</p><p> </p><p>He played nervously with his fingers for a while and then curiously began to examine his wound, hoping that it hadn't become worse after that barbarian had pressed his certainly never washed fur vest against it.</p><p> </p><p>At the moment, it still looked fine, but who knew if it would stay that way for long if he weren't allowed to go to Yunho soon.</p><p> </p><p>As if on cue, the door opened, and one of the beautiful hones indicated him to come out with a nod.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong held his breath and clenched his hands tightly together in fists. He could do this. Yama was his top priority in this mission. He urged himself to calm down and then stepped back from the hut into the tower, into Yama's personal chambers.</p><p> </p><p>Contrary to his expectations, it was clean in here, and no trace of blood was to be seen. The table that had been set before was now empty, the polished wood shiny.</p><p> </p><p>A bit uncertain, Hongjoong searched for a clue of what had happened here but found nothing. Yama, too, seemed untouched. He sat precisely as before and watched the human calmly.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't make that face. When you eat, the room doesn't look like a slaughterhouse afterwards either." The god then chuckled with a hint of a humorous smile in the corners of his mouth. Somewhat irritated, Hongjoong turned to him, not expecting any other emotion from him than anger and hate.</p><p> </p><p>"Right... I'm sorry," he muttered, knowing that it was definitely not usual for an oni to clean up after himself, but it seemed Yama had wanted to do Mingi a favour.</p><p> </p><p>"Come here." Yama waved him closer. Hongjoong hesitantly complied his request, walking slowly enough towards the demon that he could tell him anytime when to stop.</p><p> </p><p>Not that he did.</p><p> </p><p>Damn it.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong stood with the tips of his shoes against the cushion Yama was sitting on before Hongjoong finally stopped by himself, looking down at him questioningly.</p><p> </p><p>"Has the wound reopened?" Yama inquired in his dark voice as he casually dug his fingers into the back of Hongjoong’s knees, bringing him down.</p><p> </p><p>Automatically Hongjoong tried to catch his fall the demon’s shoulders and then flinched back again as if he had burned his hand. The thought of touching this person was repulsive in his head.</p><p> </p><p>So instead he plopped down on the table in front of Yama (being a snack) with little elegance and stretched his long legs to the left and right of the man. Quickly, he tried to regain his dignity from the shock.</p><p> </p><p>"Um... No, I don't think so."</p><p> </p><p>What the hell was this situation?!</p><p> </p><p>"One of them tasted like Mingi’s and your blood..." Yama’s bottomless eyes found Hongjoong’s and then he had already reached out to him and pulled his collar aside so he could take a look at the wound.</p><p> </p><p>With big eyes, Hongjoong froze into a pillar of salt, hardly daring to breathe. He didn’t want the movement of his chest to interrupt the man’s gaze and tried to block out the knowledge of there being only a thin layer of cloth between Yama’s fingers and his skin.</p><p> </p><p>"Keep very still now,” Yama demanded quietly, an unmistakable warning in his voice. Hongjoong kept as still as possible, cramping his fingers tightly together and silently watching the man’s head, which bent closer to his shoulder. His hair brushed against Hongjoong’s chin when his lips suddenly hit the wound. Before he could flinch back, Yama’s free hand had already found his hip, preventing him from moving.</p><p> </p><p>"H-Hey." Hongjoong croaked in surprise and forced himself not to tremble with his whole body as the long tongue of the Oni lapped over his skin, licking up the blood around the wound.</p><p> </p><p>"Quiet," was his monosyllabic answer.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong his lip so as not to scream when the oni’s tongue began to uncomfortably dig into the wound, not tearing it open any further, but that didn't mean it hurt any less.</p><p> </p><p>Tense, he sat under the god and let him do whatever he wished with his jaw grit. He managed not to make a sound until Yama had finally collected all the blood off his sensitive skin and slowly pulled back.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong was slow to hide his reproachful look and once more the right corner of Yama’s mouth twitched for a second in the promise of a smile. Then, he gently pulled Hongjoong’s collar back into place over the now very clean wound.</p><p> </p><p>"You still taste very much like a human... You should be careful who is allowed to touch your body in here."</p><p> </p><p>Was this a belated invitation to fight him?</p><p> </p><p>"In that case, Lord Yama," Hongjoong coolly gathered all his courage, being already outside of all nervousness where he had reached a state of emptiness. "then I would like you to ask my permission from now on before you attack me."</p><p> </p><p>In the demon’s eyes danced a kind of admiration when Hongjoong dared to speak to him like that. With a nod, he finally took his hands off the human to stand up and remain above him for a moment of reflection. Hongjoong gulped at his height and presence.</p><p> </p><p>"As you wish. In return, I would advise you to never come in here bleeding again, even if I am sated."</p><p> </p><p>It was kind of a truce.</p><p> </p><p>Serious, Hongjoong nodded, only catching up afterwards with the thought of how dangerous it had been before. He had been hurt and alone in a room with him when a hungry oni was nearby, but he seemed to have enough control that at least this time Hongjoong had got off with a black eye.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, it's a deal, then." With that, he reached out his hand to Yama in conciliation. He had caught a very sociable side of him, and his fingers were long and elegant in Hongjoong’s.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes. Now go to Yunho and get healed. Call me Seonghwa the next time I ask for you.”</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong gave him an honest grin as he felt a significant stone fall from his heart.</p><p> </p><p>He had passed the test.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Visitors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kitsune: A nine-tailed fox with magical abilities. Can shift shapes<br/>Kaji: a female demon<br/>Ronin: lawless samurai that don't abide to the law</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hongjoong walked from Seonghwa's floor directly back to his and carefully knocked on Yunho's door for the first time. He had not spoken to him since their previous meeting in the dining room and therefore he didn’t know much about the kitsune.</p><p>The one who opened the door for him was, to his surprise, not the big fox, but Yeosang in a simple white tunic and white leggings. As their gazes met Yeosang promptly smiled brightly at Hongjoong as soon as he saw him.</p><p>Hongjoong blinked, blinded.</p><p>"Hongjoong, what brings you here?" He asked joyfully and casually leaned with one shoulder against the door frame. Perplexed, Hongjoong stared at his handsome appearance and then turned his head to count doors once more. He was standing clearly at Yunho’s, not Yeosang’s.</p><p>"Umm... I'm looking for Yunho,” Hongjoong murmured somewhat confusedly and observed the elegant curve of Yeosang’s wings behind his back. Then, he stared at his lips again (and he did too much of that) as Yeosang grinned broadly.</p><p>"You've come to the right place, come in." With a laugh, he slipped away from his post and marched back into the room that was exactly the same as Hongjoong's. The only difference was a chest at the foot of Yunho’s bed, and well-behaved Hongjoong closed the door to follow.</p><p>Yunho sat on his bed in loose clothes and still half-wet hair. In front of him was a chess game that he looked up from inquiringly as they entered.</p><p>"Look, I found a little angel at your door," Yeosang explained smiling and then dropped back onto the bed unceremoniously, almost ruining their game.</p><p>Hongjoong approached curiously.</p><p>"You actually have time to play?" Hongjoong questioned positively surprised and true, it made sense, didn't it? Those guys didn’t have much work to do.</p><p>"Sure. If we don't do this, we'll be cleaning up after Bang or bullying San. What brings you here?" Yeosang replied in a good mood. Hongjoong’s heart melted a little more at his happy grin, then he turned to Yunho with serious effort.</p><p>"I was told that I should come to you if I hurt myself..." Hongjoong began a bit clumsily, and immediately, Yeosang sat upright, scanning him with attentive glances.</p><p>"Was it San again? It was him, wasn't it? That guy, really..." The angel then began to grumble botheredly, while Yunho just smiled at him (cheekies alarm, no, how sweet!), and then waved Hongjoong over to the bed.</p><p>Already with much less shyness than before with Seonghwa, but still on guard, Hongjoong obeyed. He joined the peaceful fox, allowing him to reach out his hands to Hongjoong shoulder searchingly.</p><p>But before he actually touched the human, Yunho caught his gaze once more to make sure he wasn't uncomfortable. Hongjoong just nodded at him calmly, drawing comparisons to Seonghwa.</p><p>Yeosang carelessly crawled over their chessboard to inspect the damage as soon as Yunho had pulled Hongjoong’s shirt aside. His mouth made a protesting sound when he saw the stab wound.</p><p>"Wait, that's from a weapon! Excuse me." And off he went before anyone could stop him.</p><p>With a sigh, Hongjoong turned to Yunho, who was still examining the wound with his eyes.</p><p>"It looks very clean although you seem to have been walking around with it all day," the kitsune said with a funny voice to lighten the mood. Hongjoong resisted the urge to either pinch his cheek or subconsciously rub his hand over the wound. Instead, he watched the man’s tails swish behind him.</p><p>"I... um... yes, well..." How did he explain Seonghwa?</p><p>Yunho shook his head with a little smile, though, and then let his fingers ghost over the wound as light as a feather, healing it within seconds. Hongjoong felt the pain ebb away quickly.</p><p>"Here, you’re good. Please try to come directly from training to me next time. Especially when it comes to Seonghwa... It's just not a good idea.”</p><p>Hongjoong had the glorious epiphany that Yunho was a kitsune and could read minds, wow.</p><p>The corner of Yunho's mouth twitched upwards. Hongjoong had to stop himself from writing a song about his gorgeous smile.</p><p>"Don't worry, if you don't want me to, I'll stay out of your head. But especially when it comes to injuries, I have to look into your mind to know what I'm working with."</p><p>Great, and now he knew the feel of the tongue of an oni on his skin, yay.</p><p>Yunho snorted and then hurriedly pressed a hand in front of his mouth, probably so as not to wake Mingi next door.</p><p>"So much for that, huh?" Hongjoong, too, had to smile at the sight of Yunho’s happy face. Yunho rubbed his eyes with a soft laugh, then he looked up at Hongjoong again.</p><p>"Next time let Mingi explain our bat system to you, then you won't have to do this to yourself again. I'll stay out of your thoughts." He sounded so mature and understanding that Hongjoong immediately wondered what exactly had warranted that need and what they had experienced. However, something in Yunho’s gaze kept Hongjoong from asking about it. Those were not good experiences.</p><p>"Okay, thank you then. And good night.” He left it with one last smile. Yunho just nodded patiently, letting him go.</p><p>The turmoil inside Hongjoong hadn't subsided yet after their disgusting mission and the subsequent contact with Seonghwa, so he needed something to eat first. Chocolate would be best.</p><p>He was just on his way down when suddenly a pitiful sniff echoed through the narrow, winding staircase, leaving him surprised for a moment. When nothing more came, Hongjoong continued down the stairs, worried.</p><p>He was walking past the second floor and was about halfway down to the first when he noticed a dark figure crouching on the stairs, little more than an unnatural shadow.</p><p>The silhouette stopped in the middle of their sniffing when it heard Hongjoong approach but didn't turn around or flee either. Rather, it sat there, frightened, trying not to stand out.</p><p>Wow.</p><p>That did not work.</p><p>Curious, Hongjoong wandered around the figure in the black robe, gradually guessing that they had pulled their knees up to their chest. Two scrawny bone arms had wrapped around it, huddling into a ball like a small, distraught hedgehog.</p><p>"Choi Jongho?" Hongjoong asked cautiously, and the figure only sniffed again in that strange sepulchral voice. The human sank down the stairs next to him, sighing, carefully stretching out his fingers for the black hood.</p><p>He was itching to see what exactly was hiding under those hoods anyway, whether it was a skull or-</p><p>It was Jongho.</p><p>But his otherwise so alert eyes were reddened and wet today, full of pain.</p><p>"What's wrong?" Hongjoong murmured anxiously, but Jongho just avoided his gaze, staring blankly at the wall not far from them.</p><p>"Hey, I left my food for you, you can answer me. Is it Yeosang?"</p><p>It was the only thing he could think of, but it seemed he had hit the mark right away. Jongho reacted harshly as he now clenched his teeth hard, more tears rolling down rounded cheeks.</p><p>Sighing, Hongjoong slid over to Jongho a little and carefully put his arms around his figure. He could actually felt a warm, kind-of lively body under the robe, which only turned into bones where his arms were outside the black cloth.</p><p>"I saw him," Jongho finally muttered, seemingly moved by Hongjoong's efforts. Hongjoong let his head fall to the reaper’s musty-smelling shoulder, not caring about the moth-eaten fabric under his cheek.</p><p>"He kissed San."</p><p>Now Hongjoong’s heart also stuttered in his chest (at least it was the feeling) and incredulously, he stared straight ahead at the same wall.</p><p>Yeosang... and San?</p><p>It couldn't get much more absurd.</p><p>"It must be a misunderstanding... San likes to force people to do something they don't want to do," Hongjoong murmured, no less shocked but probably less hurt than Jongho was. The reaper pressed his bone hands in front of his eyes, rubbing his face with them.</p><p>"I don't think so. San... No matter how greedy he is, he has his own morals. And Yeosang, he... He's just too good for this world, so how the hell...?" He fell silent again, couldn't even finish a sentence.</p><p>Hongjoong was distraught too. Earlier he had gone out to read San the riot act, and this was the outcome? Didn't make much sense to him.</p><p>"Maybe that's why you should ask him. Before there's a misunderstanding, I mean.” Hongjoong didn't know exactly how to explain the situation himself, but Jongho was in need of consolation just the same.</p><p>The reaper sighed deeply.</p><p>"Why am I always the only one whose feelings are ignored," he groaned again and scandalised, Hongjoong withdrew from him, letting his hands rest only on a boney arm.</p><p>"Hello? And what about me?” Easily, he played the victim role, and Jongho gave him an amused look.</p><p>"Don't fool me, you already have your part in here. It's just me again..."</p><p>With that, he dropped the subject and just stared at the wall empty again, while Hongjoong was only more confused than before.</p><p>He had sat on the stairs next to the heartbroken youngster in a pleasant silence until he could finally get him to stop worrying and just watch how everything developed. A little later than he would have liked, he finally managed to bring the warm food provided by Mingi from the dining room up to his room.</p><p>Because it was a bit too boring there, he decided to visit the gardens together with his food and a book from Mingi. As quiet as possible, he crept down the hallway and to the last door in the semicircle, which he pushed open carefully, checking the situation.</p><p>Hongjoong was all alone under a brilliant full moon, which the flowers in all kinds of dark colours were stretching towards. Fascinated, he stepped out onto the terrace and let his eyes wander over the rampions, roses, and petunias. The colours ranged from midnight black to a dark red, but the preferred colour seemed to be a gloomy violet.</p><p>Balancing his book and the plate of food on one arm, Hongjoong closed the door behind him and walked a thin stone path between the partly chest-high plants to the middle of the wide, round balcony.</p><p>Right in the middle was a black swing, decorated with pretty ornaments, on which he put his stuff for the time being, before he looked around in the other direction of the terrace.</p><p>At the other end, there was no door, only the wall leading to the staircase, but a gigantic, blood-red cherry tree blossomed there. It took up the whole wall and the roses that were climbing up the stone seemed to pale with jealousy of the mighty tree.</p><p>With his mouth open, Hongjoong stared up into the miracle of its blossoms and stayed like this for at least five minutes. He lost himself in the sight velvety petals, until he decided to thank Yunho for his gardening talent later. Resolutely, he sank down on the swing, reaching for his book and food to spend his evening here.</p><p>-</p><p>Hongjoong had gotten so lost in the worlds of Japanese mythology that at some point he must have dozed off, because the next time he opened his eyes, he was lying on the bench spread out lengthwise, using the old book as a pillow.</p><p>Blinking, he sat up, then rubbed his eyes to take into in the figure dressed in black that was leaning against the balustrade and staring lonely out into the moon.</p><p>Jongho. He had still not found peace.</p><p>"What time is it?" Hongjoong inquired sleepily, and a dry laugh could be heard.</p><p>"There's no time here, remember?"</p><p>He sounded funny at night, but it could just be the pressure on Hongjoong’s ears.</p><p>Hongjoong stretched his stiff limbs.</p><p>"I meant is it time to get up yet?" He changed his question, and the dark-haired figure glanced over his shoulder, mustering him out of the shadows.</p><p>"Not yet."</p><p>He spoke his voice that came right from a grave again, as always when he wore the robe. Hongjoong began to walk towards him worriedly to ask if Yeosang had done another stupid thing and he had cried again.</p><p>Plumpy, he shuffled off and leaned next to his companion on the balustrade. For a moment, he glanced admiringly at the moon that was very close and big from here.</p><p>When he turned to Jongho, he had taken off his hood. Suddenly, Hongjoong didn’t look Jongho in the face, but Mingi.</p><p>Hongjoong tried not to show his surprise. He was glad not to have asked for Yeosang loudly and checked Mingi’s melancholic features briefly. Then his eyes fell to the two sai swords that he had strapped to his hip and from which a dark liquid was still dripping.</p><p>"Did something happen?" Hongjoong asked him carefully, not even sure for a moment if he heard him at all. But Mingi just sighed deeply and rubbed the back of his hand over the half of his face that was adverted from Hongjoong. When he took his hand down again, it was darkened as well.</p><p>"Some ronin tried to kill Seonghwa. I gave at least some of them a quick death... Good news for you, you won't have to feed him tomorrow.” Mingi winked at him playfully.</p><p>Hongjoong didn't know how he should feel. Of course, these people (except Yeosang) took the life of others all day long, but he had only seen the gentle and charming side of Mingi so far. Thus, he was confused of how easily he accepted the idea of him as a murderer.</p><p>"Can Seonghwa even be killed? The rules of a normal oni don't count for him because he is a god, right?" Hongjoong managed to successfully distract his friend, and the corners of Mingi’s mouth twitched up before he put his forearms on the parapet and turned towards Hongjoong.</p><p>"That's right. But there are always stories of people killing a god, aren't there?"</p><p>Hongjoong had nothing to say. He just looked out into the moon again, lost in thought, and swayed back and forth while he mulled over and over whether Seonghwa could be killed.</p><p>"He has a meeting with the local clans tomorrow, and Yunho is accompanying him. Do you want me to show you the library?" Mingi asked him suddenly. Hongjoong started to grin excitedly at the idea.</p><p>"Of course! We have to take advantage of the fact that he's gone.” Hongjoong was eager to see the library of the dead themselves, and Mingi smiled as well.</p><p>"I'll pick you up sometime. I may have to wake you up if Yeosang's morning cries don't do it for me."</p><p>"I think he defines it as singing."</p><p>In fact, every morning since his arrival, a soft voice had woken Hongjoong up, sweetly reaching his ear and warmly releasing him from his sleep like honey. So far, he just had not known it was Yeosang.</p><p>In retrospect, it was obvious, because it sure was not Seonghwa.</p><p>Mingi's head suddenly whipped around, alerted. Hongjoong followed the line of his gaze belatedly, only to see a hone standing in the shadows of the exit and staring at them creepily from empty eye sockets.</p><p>"What's wrong, have more come?" Mingi immediately demanded tensely, and the hone moved her head to the left, then to the right with a cracking symphony of bones rubbing against each other. Every hair on Hongjoong’s arms went into a defensive position.</p><p>"The kaji are here. The Lord has sent for you."</p><p>Mingi suddenly relaxed noticeably and gave Hongjoong a quick glance. He scrutinised him from head to toe, only to shake his head just a little. What was he thinking?</p><p>"Of course, I wouldn't miss this for the world. Hongjoong," In a sudden impulse, he grabbed the human’s hand and breathed a kiss on his knuckles while Hongjoong just watched him with big eyes. "see you in the morning." With that, Mingi winked at him playfully and then hurried off the balcony and to follow the hone.</p><p>Hongjoong stood wildly blushing on the balustrade and stared after him for a few seconds. When he caught himself again, he shyly pushed his hair back. His hand was tingling sweetly, and he looked around in a strange reflex, checking to see if anyone had been watching.</p><p>His gaze also went up, and he only now noticed that above, there was an identical balcony. It was not as spacious as the lower one and instead huddled closer to the building.</p><p>Seonghwa leaned against the balustrade with his naked back to the abyss and with one hand in the hair of a beautiful demoness next to him. His lips were passionately moving against hers.</p><p>A second woman hung on his other side and kissed his bare neck. She met Hongjoong’ incredulous eyes.</p><p>Kaji, huh?</p><p>The woman winked at Hongjoong playfully and put her chin down on Seonghwa's shoulder. Then, she lifted a finger and curved it luringly to call him to her.</p><p>Hongjoong probably looked like an owl, his eyes were that big. So he stood there, completely bewildered and uncomfortable with the situation, and stared at her until she began to sulk a little. Her red lips shone in the moonlight.</p><p>It was the moment when Seonghwa broke away from the other woman and looked around to his second partner, that he glanced down to follow her gaze.</p><p>A big crooked grin formed on his moonlit face as he saw Hongjoong and, questioning, he raised an eyebrow. Then, he nodded his head upwards amusedly.</p><p>An invitation.</p><p>Now Hongjoong finally managed to shake his own head in panic. His thoughts were now already too full of unwanted images. He heard Seonghwa laughing softly, then the oni grabbed the chin of the sulking woman with two fingers and kissed the sad expression from her lips.</p><p>Hongjoong fled belatedly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Games</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tennin - Japanese Term for Angels<br/>I also wanted to apologise for any possible mistakes that appear here. Some words might get lost in the translations or I might oversee some I's that needs to be changed into a he so please bear with that ^^</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mingi knocked gently on Hongjoong’s door early the next morning, even before Yeosang began his morning singing exercises.</p><p>If he was doing them at all today and hadn't stayed up with San...</p><p>Mingi looked... relaxed. Very healthy and vibrant even, and the red spots blossoming all over his neck also gave him some colour.</p><p>Hongjoong deliberately ignored them and put on comfortable clothes before following Mingi up the stairs and then from the fifth floor to the sixth. The door at the end of the winding staircase led them directly into the gigantic library. From the looks of it, it extended over three more floors and surrounded them with books and parchment rolls all around.</p><p>Hongjoong could hardly get a hold of himself with amazement.</p><p>In the end, Mingi had to nudge his arm in amusement so that he woke up. Even then Hongjoong just stared in awe with an open mouth from Mingi, who had let his curly hair fall into his forehead today and wore a cuddly turtleneck, back to the rows and rows of books. There was no end in sight, and he couldn't even see the ceiling.</p><p>"Lose yourself. I will find you again before Seonghwa returns.” The other man understood Hongjoong’s fascination and his eyes curled sunnily as he grinned at Hongjoong. Then, the human had already run away to bury himself in the mountains of paper.</p><p>He found literature on everything. Astrology, oceanography, cheesy romance novels, historical tomes and even an odd children's book or two. Most of the time, he just lay motionless on one of the elegant black divans and devoured the words, not letting anything in the world interrupt him.</p><p>He indeed lost himself.</p><p>He only saw Mingi again when he called and told Hongjoong that it was time to go. He was relatively sure that he had spent the whole day there and his stiff limbs only confirmed that.</p><p>Suddenly incredibly exhausted, he sat up from his pile of books, catching a few that were about to slide off his stomach.</p><p>Hongjoong picked out four that he wanted to take down to his room, the rest he went to put away again. He was lucky that the books knew where they belonged; it made it easier for him to put them away properly.</p><p>Mingi had stolen the ladder from him.</p><p>So, he went off and looked for another one to make his trip through the library and to put everything away again.</p><p>Just now Hongjoong was standing quite high up. The gallery must have been about 5 meters below him, and he was clearing away a big tome when the rung below him suddenly decided that he was too heavy and gave way under his body.</p><p>The shock (and the book, with which one could presumably murder someone) prevented him from holding on in time, and he just decided to fall, one bump more or less didn't matter much now. At least he knew how to land correctly.</p><p>So, he pressed his book close to his body. He certainly didn't want to be decapitated for one scratch on it by Seonghwa. Quickly, he prepared himself for the impact that never came.</p><p>Of course not.</p><p>Because he had landed in the stupidest, cheesiest, and most disgusting world of death you could find anywhere.</p><p>Hongjoong felt like the protagonist in the lousy romance novel he had started before, sending an inner apology to Jongho for taking away his role.</p><p>Mingi's arms were strong around Hongjoong’s comparatively tiny figure. He caught him effortlessly and kept him safely off the floor. For a long second, Mingi wordlessly sought his gaze before carefully setting him down and gently taking the heavy book from his clammy hands.</p><p>Breathe.</p><p>Faster than Hongjoong could blink, Mingi hurled the tome across the room. The protesting sound the human was about to make died in his throat as ringed fingers flinched up at the other end of the room to stop the book from squashing the accompanying face.</p><p>The man leaning casually in the doorway lowered the captured (and safe, phew) book away from his head and grinned cheekily at the duo.</p><p>Hongjoong shrank a little.</p><p>"That was unnecessary, Hwa! He does have a sense of pain, you know?” Mingi scolded him, and Hongjoong swiftly took off, clearing away the other books while the two gods quietly bickered behind him.</p><p>When he returned to the door with his chosen books, Mingi stood downstairs near Seonghwa and talked to him quietly. However, both looked up at Hongjoong as he came closer. The human did his best to try to keep more on Mingi’s side than on Seonghwa’s.</p><p>The oni looked most amused. Again.</p><p>Blushing, Hongjoong turned away. In his excitement over the books, he had nearly forgotten last night’s encounter.</p><p>"Thanks for letting us borrow books," Mingi said to his boss with a roll of his eyes. Seonghwa waved it off with a grin.</p><p>"Thanks, that your reflexes are still worthy of a bodyguard, even though I wish they would work just as well for me." He grimaced. "Now get out of my swamp."</p><p>He had chased them out before Hongjoong could react any further and it was only afterwards that he understood the implication behind his words. He was about to throw another book at him when Mingi grabbed him by the sleeve and started to pull him away in a hurry. Soon, they were back on the stairs.</p><p>Hongjoong didn't know exactly how it happened, but he swore that one of the solid stone steps under their feet suddenly turned into a smooth, slippery surface on which Mingi lost his footing mercilessly.</p><p>Reflexively, Hongjoong reached so he wouldn't fall down the stairs. With a noise of shock, Mingi again before he stumbled clumsily against Hongjoong and trapped his body between him and the wall. In the sudden movement, Hongjoon hit his skull against the smooth obsidian and immediately twitched away. He managed to land with his face in Mingi’s, kissing him suddenly.</p><p>What?</p><p>A really lousy romance novel indeed.</p><p>For a moment, the world froze, and they stared at each other only in shock. Then, Mingi reeled back, and Hongjoong, too, stared away to the side with glowing cheeks, cursing himself.</p><p>What was that, so suddenly?</p><p>For a tense second, nothing happened, then a muffled "Whoooo" could be heard through the door behind them.</p><p>"Seonghwa, you bastard!" Mingi just yelled back. Hongjoong used the moment to slip under his arm and hurriedly left, his face still glowing red.</p><p>-</p><p>The training with San felt awkwardly cramped.</p><p>Hongjoong landed on the ground under him beaten even more often than usual. He just couldn't synchronise his head with the fact that San’s cruelly grinning lips should have been on those of an angel yesterday.</p><p>And he was also haunted by too many images of Mingi's lips on his hand, and Seonghwa's lips on a pretty woman's.</p><p>And then there were the images od Mingi's lips on his.</p><p>He had been too busy with lips lately.</p><p>Hongjoong sufferingly closed his eyes with a groan.</p><p>"What's wrong with you today? You're not trying to wring my neck," his sin spoke to him almost worriedly. Hongjoong just continued to lie motionless on the ground, blanking him out deliberately.</p><p>"Why did you kiss Yeosang?" He didn’t bother to beat about the bush and San made an amused sound, then Hongjoong heard him plop down on the mat beside him. Both of them allowed themselves a break from training.</p><p>"I am Greed, remember? When he pressed his face into mine yesterday, all angry, to tell me not to torture you with weapons, I seized the moment, that's all. Why? Do you want to be kissed, too?"</p><p>Warm breath brushed against Hongjoong’s cheek.</p><p>The human boxed at him with one hand, with the other he reflexively blocked San’s second hand, which reached for him right away.</p><p>Hongjoong’s eyes flew open to stare up at him as he leaned over him smugly, their arms twisted together.</p><p>"Jongho's mortal sin was envy; can you imagine how funny they trained? If he caught him, they’d end up naked and sweaty in bed since Wooyoung always has things to be jealous about and needs a lot of attention. You're lucky I'm just the greedy one who likes to see you suffer."</p><p>Hongjoong threw one leg up in the air to punch his heel hard into San’s back.</p><p>"No, thanks." He squeezed out; then he threw himself into their fight with renewed vigour.</p><p>-</p><p>Hongjoong didn't see Mingi for two days, so he spent his time with Yunho and Yeosang. Both at the table and regularly in Yunho's room afterwards, they found a lot of time playing board games together.</p><p>Yeosang seemed unmoved by the San affair and didn’t mention it in any way. He also didn’t seem to notice that Jongho was missing and had not returned to the tower since then.</p><p>Yunho, on the other hand, knew everything, of course, but he did not say a word either. He just sat quietly between them and smiled, while Yeosang accused one of them of cheating every two minutes and tried to change the rules according to his ideas.</p><p>In the end, they always had to play a game of rock paper scissors to determine the final winner, and Yeosang managed to win several times even though it had been lucky Yunho before.</p><p>The kitsune was generally very peaceful and always smiled in a sweet, confused way. When Yeosang or Hongjoong tried to engage him in conversation, he would jump right in no matter what it was about.</p><p>In the end, they all regularly burst into a big round of laughter when Yeosang made the incredible discovery that Hongjoong was the only one who could hide comfortably under the bed. In general, it was quite pleasant to spend time with them.</p><p>Hongjoong’se little Yeosang crush hadn't come loose either. Of course, Mingi was always on his mind now, but the fascination that the God of War aroused in him was of a completely different kind than the cuddly warmth that always filled him whenever he saw Yeosang.</p><p>The topic of that evening remained unresolved when a few minutes later, while Yunho was telling them about the sea, a hone interrupted them, appeared silently in the doorway.</p><p>"The Lord is sending for you," she said monotonously to Hongjoong, and he sighed with a suppressed groan, then rose to follow.</p><p>"Take care of yourself," Yeosang called after him still worried. Then the door behind the human closed,o and he followed the woman up to Seonghwa's dining room.</p><p>Today he was lolling on the table instead of in front of it, and he had just poked the cut-off head of a pig in the eye as Hongjoong entered.</p><p>He immediately turned his gaze to the wall.</p><p>"Ah, Hongjoong. I was going to send you out to find food, but I wanted to apologise first."</p><p>Carefully, Hongjoong looked over at him and noted how he had now positioned himself so that Hongjoong didn’t have to see the severed head.</p><p>Seonghwa watched him with his head tilted, like an animal in a zoo.</p><p>"For what?" Hongjoong asked perplexed, not knowing exactly how to deal with the fact that the mighty oni apologised to him. Seonghwa grinned at him with his familiar crooked grin.</p><p>"It's my fault that Mingi is away at the moment. I didn't mean to interrupt your honeymoon."</p><p>Hongjoong turned as red as the lantern in the corner and avoided Seonghwa’s gaze again. He heard him laughing softly.</p><p>Of course, there was no book to throw at him at the time.</p><p>"Anyway, I'm sorry. Today I will send you to prison. Here is the key. Tell the guys Mars sent you, you know how it goes." With that, he loosely threw a key in Hongjoong’s direction and nodded at him briefly before he left the room full of new wonders.</p><p>How strange to be shipped by an oni with his commander...</p><p>Being dead was funny business.</p><p>But he couldn't lose sight of his mission. Get in, get close, get the lifetime and flee before the oni ate him.</p><p>Thoughtfully, Hongjoong walked down the many steps to the entrance area. With the key in his hand, he walked through the door curiously if it would work.</p><p>It did.</p><p>He found himself in an empty corridor.</p><p>It was a grey, dreary and dripping tunnel. The torches in the walls only partially lit it up, and from a distance, a repetitive shouting and moaning could be heard.</p><p>Hongjoong played a game from then on.</p><p>After all, he was a thief.</p><p>His game was to steal Seonghwa's food without getting caught.</p><p>Two guards sank to the ground before they even saw his shadow.</p><p>A third saw him before he lost consciousness.</p><p>The prisoners were so mindful of remaining silent. They were observing him and whispering to him from time to time that he should free them. However, in their hopes, nobody alarmed the guards of his presence.</p><p>He passed most of them carelessly. The engravings on his key read 27.</p><p>In cell 27 sat two men and a woman, a murderous trio as it appeared, and they looked up attentively at him as he stopped in front of them.</p><p>"Mars sent me to fetch you," Hongjoong said calmly. He must honestly have looked rather epic in the light of the dancing torches, and the woman looked up at him hopefully. Then, she was immediately on her feet. His eyes shone with happiness and relief.</p><p>Uh-oh.</p><p>"Yeah? Is it really him? Come on, boys, up you get; we're finally getting out of here!"</p><p>The men rose grumbling, reminding Hongjoong of the tribal chiefs from the icy north with their braided beards and leathery clothes. He wondered where on the world he was right now.</p><p>Gently he unlocked their door, the grumbling of the other cell inmates growing louder.</p><p>"Come on in, dear, we know how this works," the woman asked him happily. She was quick to push the men back to the farthest wall so as not to frighten the little boy.</p><p>Hongjoong hid his grin in the shadow of his mask.</p><p>Apparently, Mars didn’t put warnings out before he destroyed his allies.</p><p>On guard, he entered the cell and beckoned the group over. He was now standing between the planes of the doorway of the prison and Seonghwa's room.</p><p>Seonghwa looked up when the three of them came in. They immediately began to look around curiously while Hongjoong remained in the door for a moment, seeking the oni’s gaze for confirmation.</p><p>Seonghwa nodded at him with dark eyes. Hongjoong turned around nonchalantly before pulling the door shut behind him as he left.</p><p>Back in Yunho's room, angel and fox were still discussing their favourite sea creatures when he entered and joined them again, smiling.</p><p>"That was quick! Are you hurt?" Yeosang searched him briefly, tugging at his clothes while he was at it.</p><p>"No, Mingi was right. I am good for this job," he boasted a bit, and Yeosang cheered shyly at him before he pulled another board out of nowhere and spread it out between them. "Okay, so this game here is called Ludo for Tennin. If you're not angels - and you're not, sorry - you're at a huge disadvantage here, but I'll make you a peace offering. I'll only roll two dice instead of three, so you're not completely at a loss, how does that sound?”</p><p>Hongjoong met Yunho's gaze, and they rolled their eyes at the same time.</p><p>Playing with Yeosang never got boring.</p><p>But Hongjoong was gradually beginning to worry about Jongho.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Getting Information</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kamaitachi: A weasel that appears in a group of three and had sickles for paws that it uses to slice people's feet off<br/>Okami: A demon wolf<br/>Obake: A shapeshifter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next time Hongjoong saw Mingi again, he stood with his back against a cold wall, and San held a knife pressed against his neck.</p><p> </p><p>It was a good start into the day because Hongjoong was instantly wide awake and jumped towards San to kick his heel to the sin’s nose.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, he had seen the attack coming and immediately spun around to Hongjoong. As he released Mingi, the man used the moment to roughly push San off of him and catch Hongjoong in the air. He kept him at a safe distance from the deadly sin with one arm around his hip.</p><p> </p><p>"Leave it," Mingi muttered exhaustedly behind Hongjoong while he was still trying to stab the coughing San with his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"Tell him to stop attacking everybody with a knife.” The human complained loudly about the sin. San just grinned her unpleasant grin at them, then he disappeared unimpressed through the next wall.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong loosened Mingi's arm from his hip and turned around to him to inspect the damage.</p><p> </p><p>In fact, the cut was already healing, and some purple handprints faded leisurely on his throat.</p><p> </p><p>"I really don't know what his problem is... Are all sins like that?"</p><p> </p><p>Mingi gave him a weak smile.</p><p> </p><p>"No, that's just San." He looked tired.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong hesitated, not knowing exactly what was going on between them and how to handle it. He was still so new here, and these people had lived together for centuries. He had no right to speak.</p><p> </p><p>"Are you alright? You look as if you haven't slept for a while..." He instead asked cautiously, and Mingi lazily pushed his hair back as he suppressed a yawn.</p><p> </p><p>"I didn’t... Seonghwa is good at keeping people on their toes. But how are you? I heard that you survived your first solo food mission well?” Mingi managed to butter Hongjoong up again, and his smile soothed him a bit.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes. I went under the assignment of Mars." Hongjoong was a bit proud of having done well. Mingi finally ruffled Hongjoong’s hair, his hand warm.</p><p> </p><p>"You did well. Those who know him as Mars are old friends who would trust him with their lives. Or even give their lives for him. I'm sorry I left you alone with those idiots for so long."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong also smiled sincerely now, but then he worriedly rose his eyes to meet Mingi’s. Mingi waited, attentive, while his hand remained on Hongjoong’s head.</p><p> </p><p>"Speaking of idiots... Have you heard from Jongho?"</p><p> </p><p>Mingi's hand fell down to his side as he shook his head with his eyebrows drawn together.</p><p> </p><p>"No. Did anything happen?"</p><p> </p><p>Mingi was too alert to oversee such a thing, so Hongjoong just raised his shoulders at a loss.</p><p> </p><p>"I haven't seen him for the last few days and just thought you might know something."</p><p> </p><p>Mingi shook his head regretfully.</p><p> </p><p>"Maybe he just went home. He still meets with his mentor, Wooyoung, now and then."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong cursed himself inside.</p><p> </p><p>Of course. Of course, he fell back into unhealthy habits when something like this happened. And then again with San, they should have known. As they were speaking, Jongho might be suffering the consequences of his unhealthy coping mechanisms.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, well... I'm sorry, I'd like to chat with you further, but I have an appointment with Yeosang for chess.” Hongjoong quickly pulled a little white lie out of his sleeve. Mingi looked a lot more careful when the angel’s name was mentioned.</p><p> </p><p>"Sure, we'll meet again. Have fun and take care of yourself."</p><p> </p><p>That was weird. That was something he only heard from Yeosang about others.</p><p> </p><p>When Hongjoong swiftly passed him by, Mingi smelled of smoke again.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong, fortunately, found the angel in his room as he ran breathlessly up the stairs. Hectically, he knocked on his door and restlessly swayed back and forth until the angel opened the door for him.</p><p> </p><p>"You have to find Jongho," Hongjoong said immediately, while Yeosang still stood bewildered in his door and tried to catch up.</p><p> </p><p>"...must I?" He asked confusedly. His eyes shifted over Hongjoong’s tense appearance. The human nodded energetically.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes! You know, it wasn't exactly a very nice move to make out with San while he was around to see.”</p><p> </p><p>At his words, Yeosang blanched noticeably before he immediately grabbed a jacket from his door and turned to his window.</p><p> </p><p>"Damn fool..." He cursed under his breath as he slipped into his coat without a problem, his wings not an obstacle.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't worry; I'll bring him back! You tell Hwa that I'll be gone for a while!”</p><p> </p><p>He opened his window and threw himself out. The telltale noise of wings flapping lost itself in the distance.</p><p> </p><p>For a moment, Hongjoong stood there like a fool.</p><p> </p><p>Why should he have to go to Seonghwa by himself now?</p><p> </p><p>He could just ask a hone or Mingi to pass on the information to him, couldn't he?</p><p> </p><p>But he still hesitated.</p><p> </p><p>There had to be a reason why Yeosang had told Hongjoong to go to Seonghwa specifically, right?</p><p> </p><p>So, Hongjoong pulled Yeosang's door shut behind him - noticing belatedly that his whole room was decorated in a blinding white - and then made his way up the stairs.</p><p> </p><p>On the fifth floor, there were no hones, so he walked up to the sixth floor and met the now familiar bone women.</p><p> </p><p>"I... have to go to Lord Yama," Hongjoong tried cautiously, honestly not expecting the expressionless skeletons in their pretty kimonos to let him in without further ado.</p><p> </p><p>But he was surprised when they just silently opened the door and pointed at him to enter.</p><p> </p><p>The library was in a complete mess today.</p><p> </p><p>Books were wildly and carelessly pulled from their shelves and laid thrown violently across the floor. Loose pages were scattered everywhere, and some of the divans were knocked over. The sight was incredibly sad and infuriating at the same time.</p><p> </p><p>Shocked, Hongjoong searched the battlefield for Seonghwa, but could not find his raven hair anywhere.</p><p> </p><p>"Hongjoong! Jump on the gallery!” An urgent voice suddenly echoed loudly and warningly through the hall. Hongjoong’s reflexes kicked in out of sheer habit before his brain had even registered any movement.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong leaped up and grabbed the wooden struts of the railing above him. Skilfully he swung his body up, now looking around a little more worriedly at Seonghwa. Why hurry?</p><p> </p><p>"Run to the left!"</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong turned his racing thoughts off and followed his command doggedly. As he swerved to the left, something crashed behind him, and the buzzing of blades sounded through the air. That didn’t seem too friendly.</p><p> </p><p>"Get up the ladder!"</p><p> </p><p>Cleverly, Hongjoong’s hands found the ladder, and he pulled himself up. He heard the blades smashing into the wood underneath his body, but still saw no one. Where was the enemy?</p><p> </p><p>The adrenaline rushed loudly through his veins as he climbed the ladder with quick movements. Whatever it was, it now followed him with a feral snarl.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong saw the long ladder come to an end too quickly. He was already looking for an escape route in panic when a tortured screech echoed through the room, and a deep laugh followed.</p><p> </p><p>The next time Hongjoong looked around, Seonghwa stood at the foot of his ladder in full oni-form. He was holding a strange weasel with sickles instead of paws in his outstretched arm. Uselessly, it’s lithe legs kicked at the cruelly grinning demon.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, Seonghwa’s pet was a damned kamaitachi, what did he expect?</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong looked around uneasily for the other two as Seonghwa glanced him. His gruesome demon face transformed back into his normal face until only his eyes stayed in their uncomfortable dark state.</p><p> </p><p>"You're safe, don't worry. I've already caught the other two," the god said confidently as if his strange weasel hadn't just tried to cut off Hongjoong’s legs.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong could only grin distortedly down to him before he slowly started his descent, trusting Seonghwa to hold on to the thing.</p><p> </p><p>"Remarkable timing. He was just about to run out and cause chaos in the tower when you distracted him.” Seonghwa marvelled over him. Hongjoong just snorted in disbelief.</p><p> </p><p>"That's why I'm here," he replied dryly while inwardly cursing the hones for being so expressionless.</p><p> </p><p>"That, and to tell him that Yeosang has flown away." Seonghwa grinned at him crookedly while his feral weasel still tried to slice his arm off. Seonghwa held it far from his body.</p><p> </p><p>"Why did he send me if you know about it anyway?" Certainly not to play tag with that stupid weasel.</p><p> </p><p>"So that I can finally tell you some elementary things about the people who live in this tower. Come, I'll get you a cup of blood." Hongjoong was just about to follow him, but at the last comment, he froze in horror again. He watched the oni turn around, grinning.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm kidding. I've got other stuff here."</p><p> </p><p>It wasn't a suggestion, so Hongjoong just followed him and with his kicking weasel quietly.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa needed Yunho as mental (talkative) support to explain everything to Hongjoong. While the human was already sitting in front of his steaming cup of tea and waiting for the kitsune to arrive, Seonghwa went to clear away his kamaitachi. He locked it in a sturdy cage with the other two angry weasels. After that, he sat down opposite Hongjoong at the small table in an alcove deep in the library. Hongjoong his tea while he wandered back and forth between watching Seonghwa with twisted fascination and staring at the tabletop in bewilderment.</p><p> </p><p>When the kitsune joined them, Seonghwa just tapped his thigh twice wordlessly, and the kitsune - who was a good few centimetres bigger than the scary oni - managed to fit on his lap and still look small.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong was impressed.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa casually put one arm around the hip of his fox and drank his tea with his left hand, giving Hongjoong his dark look.</p><p> </p><p>"Just ask. Today is your day; I'll answer everything that's in my power."</p><p> </p><p>The grin around the corners of his mouth spoke volumes, warning Hongjoong to choose his questions wisely. As if he could trust an oni. He was Lord of the Underworld after all, wasn't he?</p><p> </p><p>Yunho watched Hongjoong silently as he pondered briefly who to start with and then chose Yeosang.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeosang. What's his story?"</p><p> </p><p>Yunho looked down at Seonghwa until the demon nodded his head before the fox began to speak. His eyes were fixed on a faraway place.</p><p> </p><p>"It is customary to have a representative of each party in both heaven's court and the underworld. Yeosang is here to make sure that we make a fair judgement, and on their side, someone is also working with the tennin. Yeosang feels very comfortable in his surroundings." Yunho said softly, then turned his gaze to Seonghwa, who had dropped his second hand on the boy's thigh and drew small circles in the fabric of his trousers. Hongjoong watched it all attentively, filing away his information.</p><p> </p><p>"His curse is that mortals automatically fall for him. People have always been very God-fearing and easy to manipulate from above. They do everything they could to avoid ending up here. The tennin, as the radiantly beautiful bearers of hope, like the ones that have been adored through all of history, have always been very pleasing to humans." The demon continued, and really, wow. Hongjoong hadn’t even known his voice lasted that long.</p><p> </p><p>"You and Jongho are the only mortals here," Yunho added and ah, of course. The human side in him longed for the warmth since this cold place here had little to give. He automatically searched for the light in the darkness. It was quite natural that his eyes stuck to Yeosang rather than Yunho or Mingi.</p><p> </p><p>"We yokai have few problems with that. The only one left is San. He is outside of good and evil.”</p><p> </p><p>It explained why Yeosang had reacted that way before. He knew Jongho had feelings for him but didn't welcome them because they were potentially based on his nature. So that's why San. As a tennin, he could not get too close to the yokai, hurting both sides if he were to touch them. San stood outside of all this and was the only one who could be considered when Yeosang sought impartial advice.</p><p> </p><p>Of course.</p><p> </p><p>Though Hongjoong suspected Jongho to be in deeper. He wouldn't be so affected if this was only his human affection for the light in the darkness.</p><p> </p><p>"San is not human-born?" Hongjoong asked further, and Yunho shook his head while Seonghwa calmly sipped his tea.</p><p> </p><p>"San is nothing more than a human desire, nurtured through the centuries and growing stronger up until the present day. The sin took on human form once it was powerful enough to do so, as kitsune do”. A smile took over over Yunho's lips.</p><p> </p><p>"And... Mingi?"</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa winked at Hongjoong.</p><p> </p><p>The human sighed deeply.</p><p> </p><p>"Okami...?" Yunho looked uncertainly over at Seonghwa, and he leaned back in his chair, smirking smugly.</p><p> </p><p>"He is primarily a god. A yokai, an obake, and an okami. An exhausting mixture,” the Oni said as he counted Mingis many roles on his hand. Then his playful eyes met Hongjoong’s again.</p><p> </p><p>"I hope you know what you're getting into." There was no warning or threat in his voice; only humour. Hongjoong stared speechlessly at the tabletop.</p><p> </p><p>Okay, the wolfish part of Mingi he hadn't noticed yet.</p><p> </p><p>"Just be nice to him and Yunho, then nothing will happen to you in here," the god before him assured unconvincingly. He himself was a much bigger problem than his two animal companions, but Hongjoong preferred not to draw his attention to that.</p><p> </p><p>"As for me, my magic keeps everything going in here, and I support Mingi and Seonghwa on the somewhat trickier missions," Yunho answered the last unspoken question. Hongjoong nodded slowly, looking at Seonghwa again.</p><p> </p><p>He poked Yunho in the flank.</p><p> </p><p>"Besides, you are responsible for the lower yokai, why did I find three weasels outside their cage earlier, huh?" He asked, and his eyes were sharper than his words, no real reproach behind it.</p><p> </p><p>Yunho just scratched the back of his head, embarrassed, and avoided Seonghwa's gaze. Sweetly, he tried to convince the oni that he had just wanted to play with them, but they had escaped.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong watched the two of them thoughtfully, wondering what their relationship with each other was. However, he couldn’t come up with anything since the rules were far looser for the inhabitants of the underworld than humans.</p><p> </p><p>"So, Jongho and I are the only ones who are really dead?" The fact suddenly came to his mind, and Yunho nodded at him seriously again. "The rest of us are not bound by the law of life. With a lot of effort, you might be able to erase our existence, but we are basically outside of life and death."</p><p> </p><p>So, there was no record of their lifetime.</p><p> </p><p>Fascinating. Hongjoong needed to do more reading about it.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa's hand slipped down Yunho's thigh as Hongjoong finished his tea.</p><p> </p><p>"Then... Thank you. For the Q&amp;A session. I think I understand some of the residents better now.” Especially Yeosang and Jongho.</p><p> </p><p>Yunho smiled at him with his sweet face, and Seonghwa just nodded darkly.</p><p> </p><p>"Go put on something warm. Today you are going to the mountains," the oni said without batting an eyelash. Hongjoong shivered a little, forcing himself to nod.</p><p> </p><p>"Ask Mingi for the details."</p><p> </p><p>With that, Seonghwa bent over Yunho's neck, and it was Hongjoong’s signal to leave.</p><p> </p><p>The last he heard from the two was a little whimper from Yunho, then the heavy door behind him fell closed, and Hongjoong went to look for Mingi.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Hunger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hongjoong’s second solo trip was not as lovely and linear as the first one.</p><p> </p><p>In his defence, though, that was solely San's fault, not his.</p><p> </p><p>The sin was to blame for Hongjoong not having a gun when he needed one.</p><p> </p><p>In the beginning, everything was fine. Mingi had explained to him the way to a temple in the mountains where he should lead a group of refugees. He recommended Hongjoong to let them know that his patron (i.e. Seonghwa, definitely not his patron) was willing to accept them.</p><p> </p><p>Well, as it seemed, they had gotten in a situation where it would have been better to send Mingi.</p><p> </p><p>For a while, he had been walking through the draughty but fortunately not snowy mountains, not even knowing exactly on which part of the earth, on which continent he was at the moment. He kept making sure that he had the monastery roughly in view, knowing exactly where it was located.</p><p> </p><p>Because the problem was that the criminals here were not too happy to meet him.</p><p> </p><p>They had dogs with them, and no sooner had Hongjoong appeared over the hilltop as a peaceful wanderer would, the two already rushed towards him.</p><p> </p><p>Now try to run faster than a hunting dog, most of you probably wouldn't be able to do it.</p><p> </p><p>So, he let the attack come and kicked the first one away from him to grab the second one around the muzzle, keeping his sharp teeth out of his face. The action hurt his heart, he was an absolute dog person after all, but full of sadness he had to ram the knee into the ribs of the second one. Afterwards, he let the poor creature sink to the ground with a pitiful whimper from the animal.</p><p> </p><p>The short battle had taken him long enough for the men to catch up with him. Initially, he had intended to apologise to them, as their dogs had clearly attacked him without being asked. He wanted to state that he had had no other choice, but it was simply rude how the first person rammed a knife into his stomach without even letting him speak.</p><p> </p><p>Just rude. Zero social skills. And Hongjoong had thought he was bad. He gritted his teeth through the pain flaring up as the knife was ripped from the gushing wound.</p><p> </p><p>While he was still indignant and holding his stomach in pain, a second one grabbed his body and threw it carelessly over his shoulder. Now that hurt. Hongjoong gasped for breath, willing the agony and panic rising in his guts away.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong waited with all the protests until he knew where they were going and continued to bleed. Still, they continued their way towards the monastery, talking to each other in a foreign language. Hongjoong let them, hanging faintly down the broad man’s back.</p><p> </p><p>So much for that, thank you, Mingi.</p><p> </p><p>And thanks to San, for not being armed.</p><p> </p><p>The strange conversation did not end well for Hongjoong. From one moment to the next, there was a knife on his legs, which cut his hamstrings.</p><p> </p><p>Like he said, not exactly the most helpful guys. Barbarians, to be quite honest.</p><p> </p><p>He keenly memorised the faces of the five bastards and swallowed his pride. He was sure that Seonghwa wasn't very nice to his food, and that kept him a bit happy while he was playing unconscious. With time, he was probably bleeding over the whole guy he was lying on.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong just hoped he wouldn't actually bleed to death. Could he bleed to death on his missions? He should have asked before...</p><p> </p><p>Anyway, the men were in for a nasty surprise when they marched into the monastery. The hurt human was alternating between waking and sleeping, and nearly missed the moment they ended up in the lair of an oni instead of stone halls with peaceful monks they could rob.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong did not see Seonghwa's first reaction to his mistake. Only when he was hurriedly taken off that shoulder to act as a shield could he see, and damn it, he was sorry, but he bled all over Seonghwa’s holy floor.</p><p> </p><p>In fact, half unconscious, he was hanging in the big guy's arm, with another knife at his throat, but for whatever reason, it didn't feel as oddly safe as San's knife. Both would not hesitate to kill him, but San's knife had become so familiar to his throat that Hongjoong knew how to breathe without cutting himself. These men made things more difficult.</p><p> </p><p>More blood was drawn, and in agony, Hongjoong looked up at Seonghwa. The oni had risen tensely from his table and watched him from eyes far too dark. Hongjoong detected the flickering of his real face under his human facade in a slight panic. Oh, he had so messed up.</p><p> </p><p>It ended in a bloodbath.</p><p> </p><p>At first, the arm with the knife flew disconnected from its master across the room, then the shouting started.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong was conveniently dropped, but thanks to his legs, he couldn't make it out of the room. Instead, he had to listen to the tearing of flesh and the tormented cries in foreign languages until they stopped gurgling.</p><p> </p><p>Only too quickly Hongjoong was no longer just lying in a puddle of his own blood but shared the space with the various bodily fluids of the dead men. He still had a hard time getting his head defogged, but he tried to stay awake stubbornly, not knowing what would happen if he fell asleep.</p><p> </p><p>From then on, it became the horror he had expected all the time here.</p><p> </p><p>A large claw grabbed him in the neck, and he felt himself being pulled up roughly from the floor scarily quickly. The red-stained space blurred around him turned, and then he crashed hard down onto the prepared table. He felt porcelain break under his back and cut deep into his skin.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong didn’t manage to form any words and instead tried to grab Seonghwa by the horns. With a gurgling sound in his burning throat, he decided to push the demon off, but how could he ever muster that strength? He was no more than a weak human in the face of a hungry monster.</p><p> </p><p>His fangs (and those were the demonic ones) burrowed into the open wound in Hongjoong’s throat. Any scream died in his throat as the blood filled it immediately.</p><p> </p><p>Coughing and choking Hongjoong lay under him, his body numb from all the pain. Yet, he felt the vicious claw that dug into the wound in his stomach and grabbed something. Then, he <em>pulled</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong finally lost consciousness.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>In theory, Hongjoong had wanted to sit upright with a jerk, but the whole thing didn't work quite as it should. His body failed him. Everything felt weird and queasy and out of focus.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, God, he's alive."</p><p> </p><p>He was? Are you sure, Yeosang? Because he sure didn't feel like that.</p><p> </p><p>A warm hand found Hongjoong’s and he held it gently as he hesitantly opened his eyes. He first stared at Yunho's face, who was staring at Hongjoong from ridiculously big owl eyes and for whatever reason had dark hair.</p><p> </p><p>"He really does," he confirmed incredulously and wow, thank you, Hongjoong had trusted in his healing powers.</p><p> </p><p>The human didn't dare to speak yet. His mind kept showing him the cruel image of the hungry Oni above him. He just stared emptily at the ceiling until black hair crept into his field of vision. Mingi put one hand under his head, the other under his hip and carefully pulled him up and straight into his arms.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong’s head came to rest heavily on his shoulder while Mingi just kept him still. The confused human had to check his body for a while, wondering if everything was still working.</p><p> </p><p>In principle, yes, but the phantom pain in his throat and stomach did not let him go.</p><p> </p><p>"Um...", he just murmured puzzled against the warm fabric of Mingi's shirt and then raised his head to look around. He found Jongho leaning against the wall next to the entrance and watching him silently. Hongjoong was also still holding Yeosang's hand. The angel sat anxiously on the other side of his bed while Yunho meanwhile had started to fold up some bloody sheets in a corner.</p><p> </p><p>"What do you remember?" Yeosang asked cautiously, and Mingi sat down more comfortably to keep Hongjoong upright in his lap. Hongjoong’s hand slipped out of Yeosang's so that the angel could sit cross-legged in front of them.</p><p> </p><p>"The way Seonghwa ripped the guts out of my body. Then I passed out," he said without hesitation, and Yeosang flinched visibly while Jongho lowered his eyes and bit his lip uncertainly. Mingi's free hand reached for Hongjoong to gently wrap his fingers around the human’s.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, well..." Yeosang seemed speechless.</p><p> </p><p>"He didn't get your heart, so you are still alive," Yunho said enthusiastically from his corner and Mingi buried his nose in Hongjoong’s hair. He supplied Hongjoong with precisely what had so incredibly disturbed him about Seonghwa. The missing tenderness.</p><p> </p><p>From the way he had met Seonghwa before, he had always been calm. Hongjoong had even forgotten a bit about what he was capable of.</p><p> </p><p>Well, and here he was.</p><p> </p><p>All San's fault.</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang could not cope with the conversation.</p><p> </p><p>As soon as Hongjoong asked Mingi to tell him exactly what had happened (and why he was still alive), the angel fled, very pale in the face. Yunho apologised to the group before following the other worriedly.</p><p> </p><p>Jongho stayed strong. He merely lowered his body to the ground, where he buried his face in his knees and listened silently. Hongjoong continued to lean on Mingi, not surprised that he was more concerned about the worried angel than about his own well-being.</p><p> </p><p>"I..." Hongjoong felt Mingi swallow hard and automatically grabbed his hand tighter, coaxing a small laugh from him.</p><p> </p><p>"It may be a bit graphic, so... Is that all right?"</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong just nodded. He had been there, after all, when it had happened. Mingi just took a quick look at Jongho, who looked very small from here, then he quietly came out with his words.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeosang and Jongho were not here right now, Yunho was sleeping, and San was God knows where. I was just up in the library when I smelled, well, blood. It's not unusual in itself, but I hadn't heard the door close yet. When the fighting started, I went downstairs just to check on things. Seonghwa fights well enough on his own (Hongjoong knew that), but I was worried that a victim might have escaped. We've been through this before, and they almost stole Yunho from us, so... Anyway, I was careful."</p><p> </p><p>That was good to know. Really, it saved lives.</p><p> </p><p>"When I came in, he was kneeling above you covered in blood, and there were intestines everywhere, and he ate something, God, I think it was your liver? And your throat was ripped open, and you looked... pretty dead."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong was glad he hadn't eaten anything earlier, or it would have been time to throw up.</p><p> </p><p>"If you want to know about missing entrails, you'll have to ask Yunho. I didn't pay much attention, I just dragged Seonghwa off you and got you out of there. Since then we've been here to patch you up. Yeosang came as fast as he could." While he was telling the story, Hongjoong had buried his face in his neck. He was trying to hide from the vivid images. Soon, Mingi’s hand had found his head again, stroking gently through his hair.</p><p> </p><p>No one said anything for a moment, but he could tell they were both feeling remorse. Then Jongho stood up wordlessly and came over to them to carefully hug Hongjoong. His soft hair tickled Hongjoong’s chin. The human’s heart softened as he put his arms around Jongho’s broad shoulders and cuddled with him for a moment. He tried giving as much as possible of 'it's not your fault'.</p><p> </p><p>After a few seconds, Jongho let go of Hongjoong and left the room without a word. He probably also went to check on Yeosang.</p><p> </p><p>For a short time, Hongjoong sat with Mingi in silence, then he peeked curiously under his shirt.</p><p> </p><p>There was no scar or anything like that to be seen, but he knew exactly where the knife had been, where Seonghwa had torn open his body.</p><p> </p><p>Again, pictures filled his head, the feeling of the bloodthirsty demon ripping out his guts included. Hongjoong pinched his eyes together for a moment, traumatised, then looked up in horror when Mingi suddenly lifted his chin with one finger.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong tried to normalise his erratic breath.</p><p> </p><p>Mingi’s warm eyes were looking for Hongjoong’s. Together, they calmed down a bit as Hongjoong copied the rhythmic rise and fall of Mingi’s sturdy chest against his.</p><p> </p><p>"Sorry..." The human smiled embarrassedly. Mingi wordlessly dropped his hand again to gently loosen the hem of the shirt from Hongjoong’s fingers to pull it back over his belly.</p><p> </p><p>"No need to apologise. It was me who imposed the missions on you."</p><p> </p><p>And there they were again. Next, Yeosang told him about lost duties as a patron saint, and if it got any weirder, then even San would beg for forgiveness for not having equipped Hongjoong with a weapon.</p><p> </p><p>Sighing, he looked down at his legs again.</p><p> </p><p>"You see, I am already dead... I train with a mortal sin. I work with angels and demons. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, it was my own stupidity to go in there recklessly. That's what I was learning for."</p><p> </p><p>And his stomach still hurt.</p><p> </p><p>Mingi just kept silent, so Hongjoong kicked the blanket off his legs. With struggles, he freed his body from the protecting cocoon into which Mingi had wrapped him.</p><p> </p><p>"I'll go to Seonghwa now and ask him which parts of me he ate up," he decided firmly and slipped into the pair of shoes in front of his bed. He stumbled to his door on legs that were, fortunately, working again – if with troubles -, giving Mingi time to think about whether he had really played a role in this.</p><p> </p><p>But instead of walking up to Seonghwa and scolding the demon, Hongjoong was grabbed at his arm in the next moment and turned around. Mingi’s movements still being full of caution and attentive to Hongjoong’s present condition.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't. He is in no condition to be visited at the moment. I will send Yeosang to you, okay? He will have to make a report on this and ask a few questions. He could use the distraction," Mingi rambled somewhat uncontrollably. Hongjoong pitied him, so just nodded and went back to his bed ruefully. Mingi slipped silently out the door.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong sat there with one hand on his belly for a moment, then he hurried to reach for his book until Yeosang arrived. Time to forget.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>That night he was restless. Pictures of cruelly mutilated bodies and single limbs plagued his dreams, and after the third time in the middle of the night that he awoke heated up in bed, he had enough of it.</p><p> </p><p>For a moment, he thought about going to Yeosang and find his peace in his presence, but as it looked at the moment, the angel had enough to do with Jongho and their issues. The garden was not an option for Hongjoong feared to see Seonghwa again, so he found himself in the middle of the (still eternal) night on his way to the training room.</p><p> </p><p>To his surprise, there was a light shining from inside, and he heard heavy breathing, so he just carefully pushed the door open, peering through the smallest gap.</p><p> </p><p>It was San, but the man did not fight nor did he run his rounds, as he often did when Hongjoong arrived here.</p><p> </p><p>He was dancing.</p><p> </p><p>And he wasn't alone.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong watched with a fascination for a moment as his body and Yunho’s moved to inaudible music. Their movements were controlled by each other, and their bodies seemed to mutually flow into and over them.</p><p> </p><p>It was a strange spectacle, and Hongjoong was unwilling to disturb it, so he withdrew carefully and crept away again through the corridor.</p><p> </p><p>When he went to bed this time, he stayed awake and immersed himself in his book until the morning.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Hot and Cold</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kanebo: An oni's mace, a weapon<br/>Yuki-onna: A yokai that freezes people</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>San didn't mention the incident with a word and just threw himself into training the next day as focused as ever. Hongjoong hardly managed to keep up with him; he was that tired. He didn't think he even really needed to sleep... But his brain still tricked him into believing that he was incredibly exhausted.</p><p> </p><p>After he hadn't seen San’s skillful attacks coming the fourth time and staggered against a wall with a knife in his arm, the sin had had enough. Silently he dropped his scalpel on the floor and left the room. Hongjoong stayed alone with his thoughts.</p><p> </p><p>For the fact that San always acted so ignorant, he read the mood incredibly well.</p><p> </p><p>For a while, Hongjoong just sat sleepily in his corner and soaked his clothes and the floor in blood. After what felt like half an hour, he could not stand it any longer and pulled himself up.</p><p> </p><p>He had to talk to Seonghwa.</p><p> </p><p>However, since he had learned his lesson, he went to Yunho first and let him heal his wounds before he determinedly walked up the steps to Seonghwa. When he arrived, the man was neither in the library nor his unpleasant dining room. Rather, the hones led him into a room behind the dining room.</p><p> </p><p>For whatever reason, the thought that Seonghwa had his own chamber had never occurred to Hongjoong before. His head had been content always to imagine him on his favourite cushion at the table.</p><p> </p><p>To the human’s further surprise, the oni was asleep when he entered.</p><p> </p><p>The hones motioned him to be quiet before leaving him alone with Seonghwa. One of them neatly pulled the door shut as they went. A little perplexed, Hongjoong stood in the room, not knowing exactly how he would react when the demon woke up. The biggest worry being him wearing his true face again, though relaxed and with closed eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Upon closer inspection, Hongjoong noticed a third eye on Seonghwa’s forehead, which he had never seen before. It was probably his connection to the upper world.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong watched him restlessly for a moment (and, to be honest, a bit creepily, too), then he sat down quietly on the floor and closed his eyes. He might as well doze a bit until the demon woke up.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>"What are you doing here?" It was the deep voice of oni that woke Hongjoong, and immediately his head shot up, his neck protesting. For a moment, the god was a bit blurred, then Hongjoong recognised him sitting with bend legs on his big bed. He had his human façade back and was watching Hongjoong curiously.</p><p> </p><p>The human sat up a little.</p><p> </p><p>"I just wanted to talk... If you don't mind."</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa seemed to think for a moment, then shook his head. Hongjoong breathed a sigh of relief.</p><p> </p><p>"First, I'm sorry I broke MY promise. Of course, it wasn't on purpose, but I failed my mission. I should have sorted it out myself with weapons and all that," he started cautiously. Promptly the corner of Seonghwa’s mouth jerked upwards as he began grinning at Hongjoong crookedly.</p><p> </p><p>"No accusation that I broke my promise, too? Or hadn't that crossed your mind?"</p><p> </p><p>No.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, of course. But you had a reason, after all... I started it."</p><p> </p><p>They stared at each other in silence.</p><p> </p><p>"That doesn't make it better. Your breaking your promise doesn't give me the right to break mine. And I've clearly done more damage here than anyone, so I'm the one who needs to apologise." His smooth voice was pleasant, light on the ears. Hongjoong would have listened to it for hours if he didn't know what creature was behind it.</p><p> </p><p>"You are a god," he reminded Seonghwa. Torn between amusement and respect, he very earnestly clasped his hands in his lap.</p><p> </p><p>"That is no excuse. Not everything that gods do is morally acceptable, and those who use it to excuse their mistakes do not deserve the title."</p><p> </p><p>Okay, deep.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong was searching for words, being more careful of what he said.</p><p> </p><p>"Humans constantly use their gods as an excuse for everything. I think most people eventually get accustomed to using their title as a free pass."</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa looked a bit lost.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, not many people worship me that directly." A cruel grin danced across his lips. "But at least in here, I make sure that a certain justice is upheld. It's not appropriate for housemates to tear each other apart."</p><p> </p><p>Tell that to San.</p><p> </p><p>"Then let's just say it’s a draw." Hongjoong found a diplomatic conclusion, and Seonghwa nodded satisfied. Then, he motioned Hongjoong to come closer with a two-fingered come-hither gesture.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong staggered to his feet, his bones cracking, and then slowly walked over to Seonghwa. He still felt the fear knotting up his inner self, but his brain told him that there was no need to worry. The oni was harmless at the moment. Deliberately confident, Hongjoong sat down next to the demon on his (not black, red!) bed and got comfortable.</p><p> </p><p>"Yunho can make you forget, you know? He can take those horrible images out of your head if it makes you sleep easier."</p><p> </p><p>Did he know Hongjoong was sneaking around at night? Then did he know why Yunho and San were dancing together in the middle of the night?</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa’s hand suddenly touched Hongjoong’s belly without warning, and the human flinched so violently that he almost fell off the bed again. Seonghwa grabbed his shoulder in time to pull him gently back to his seat.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't. I'm just going to see exactly what I've done."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong was a bit paralysed under his hand at the spot where he had grabbed him the day before (or so.) However, he just flopped willy-nilly down onto the man’s soft bed when he pressed him down with a certain force. The oni didn’t ask further as he slipped his hand under Hongjoong’s shirt. The human choked back a surprised yell.</p><p> </p><p>His thoughts were racing, a single foggy whirlpool. Hongjoong was unsure whether he should stay still and trust this man, or rather flee from him and risk another claw in his stomach.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa’s fingers coolly ran over his skin, exerting a little pressure here and there. Each time, Hongjoong damn near died of fright, clearly having to talk to Yunho.</p><p> </p><p>Shortly afterwards, Seonghwa’s fingers slipped out of his shirt, and he smoothed out the fabric over Hongjoong’s stomach.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong dared to breathe.</p><p> </p><p>"If you were still alive, I might have killed you. Without a liver, you can survive in principle, but the thing with the stomach and parts of your intestines would no longer work. No more food for you, okay?" He almost sounded apologetic. Hongjoong <em>really</em> had to go to Yunho, just to thank him for saving them.</p><p> </p><p>"I'll find something to make up for it. If it's any consolation, you are very healthy."</p><p> </p><p>With a snort, Hongjoong sat up again. Seonghwa didn’t complain when he swung his legs over the bed.</p><p> </p><p>"Thanks, that's all I needed. I will not eat anymore and try to stay in one piece when saying you, okay?" Hongjoong said the final word, and Seonghwa just nodded patiently, then the human made his exit.</p><p> </p><p>Time to find Yunho and maybe bake him some cookies or something.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Yunho loved his cookies.</p><p> </p><p>Fortunately, the rest of the group did, too. Everyone liked the cookies, which Hongjoong didn’t even get to taste, thanks to Seonghwa. Still, he suspected that this spoke for his qualities as a cook, another thing he managed to do better in death than during life.</p><p> </p><p>He had - however it had happened - in the meantime, changed seats with Yeosang and was now always sitting between the angel and Mingi. In return, he had to put up with San’s feet on his regularly. Seonghwa was present again today, too. He sat at the table with them and listened to their conversations. Sometimes, he even smiled a bit here and there.</p><p> </p><p>It could have been Hongjoong’s imagination, but he believed to notice that the eyes of the Oni followed him more attentively than usual.</p><p> </p><p>Yunho was just telling him excitedly about his ability to take negative memories out of people's heads, and at one point during the conversation, Seonghwa bent over to the kitsune on his left with a wry grin on his lips. He whispered only a few words into the boy's ear, leaving him at that.</p><p> </p><p>Jongho was very fixated on his plate while it was now Yeosang, who watched him all the time, trying to meet the eyes of the shinigami.</p><p> </p><p>San kicked Hongjoong under the table.</p><p> </p><p>And Mingi was the first one to finish eating, then watched the group attentively as well.</p><p> </p><p>Some interesting things were happening in their group.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa's next mission for Hongjoong started two days later. Although the human by now remembered everything about the past incident, Yunho had veiled and censored all the painful memories.</p><p> </p><p>One minute, Hongjoong was lying on his bed and was calm, and the next, he saw Seonghwa leaning against the wall next to his bed without warning.</p><p> </p><p>After a small heart attack, Hongjoong let his book sink and looked up at him questioningly. He found it relatively impolite that Seonghwa just burst in here while Hongjoong had to make an appointment with him almost every time.</p><p> </p><p>"I have a mission of a different kind for you. Do you feel fit enough for a little holiday on earth?" He grinned wryly.</p><p> </p><p>As it turned out, Seonghwa had to send him off to infiltrate one of his samurai groups as a human representative. It was the ronin who had attacked him recently and against whom he was not allowed to do anything. The supernatural higher-ups were not allowed to interfere with this, which only left him and Yunho. Thankfully, Seonghwa didn’t want to send either of them off alone.</p><p> </p><p>The task was to get back his kanebo, which they had so rudely stolen from him, and then bring them back as dinner. It was a bit trickier than the usual mission since they were expecting an attack, and more skill was needed so that they would take care of it together.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong didn't know exactly how to approach the matter, so he went to consult with Yunho for the time being.</p><p> </p><p>Yunho explained to him that some of the ronin were still loyal to Seonghwa and would smuggle them into an organisation through which they could get to the men who were responsible for it. While Hongjoong was taking them out, Yunho would steal the mace back.</p><p> </p><p>Their plan sounded fine to Hongjoong, so he arranged to meet him at the door the next morning and then made sure he went to bed early to get as much rest as possible. He heard Yeosang in the next room quietly discussing things with Jongho for a while until it finally became quiet, but neither of them left the place for the night. Hongjoong had to smile a bit.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, he could not find sleep exactly when he needed it.</p><p> </p><p>As always.</p><p> </p><p>So, after a long hour of tossing and turning, he got up again and sneaked out of the room. Searching for Yunho could mean San, so he didn't disturb them and left Yeosang and Jongho alone as he went out to the balcony instead.</p><p> </p><p>It had snowed.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong was a bit surprised. He had not expected seasons here, but who knew, maybe Yunho liked the principle of this one.</p><p> </p><p>Shivering, he stepped out into the garden, which was buried under a thick layer of snow, and looked with fascination at the massive moon. It was shining down on them palely again.</p><p> </p><p>"Hello, stranger." A soft, female voice greeted him out of the blue. With surprise, he drove around and found a pretty woman (or ghost?) sitting on the swing. She had snow-white skin and knee-length hair of the same colour that shimmered in the moonlight. She was also wearing an elegant white kimono, and it was honestly no wonder he had overlooked her.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, hello!" He greeted her politely. While he had never seen her here before, she looked like a snow princess, and who knew, maybe she was Seonghwa's guest?</p><p> </p><p>"We haven't met yet. Come and have a chat with me.” She smiled softly and patted the seat next to her. Hongjoong crossed to snow to sit down willingly, cold forgotten.</p><p> </p><p>"I am Hongjoong," he first introduced himself and extended his hand to hers. She took it with a hand that was icy cold. "Yuki.” Elegantly, she nodded at him, and he noticed it a little too late, but her smile meant death.</p><p> </p><p>They talked a little bit with each other. Hongjoong didn't even notice how he cooled down completely and became more and more tired. He was utterly captivated by the beautiful woman.</p><p> </p><p>His eyelids became heavier by the minute and then at some point, they closed completely, pulling him down into unconsciousness.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong’s head landed on her lap, and he still felt her icy kiss, then he was already done with life, not expecting to wake up again.</p><p> </p><p>But as usual, he was wrong. As so often here.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong was covered by a thin blanket of snow dozing on the lap of the yuki-onna when a burning hot hand grabbed his arm and disturbed his sleep.</p><p> </p><p>"It's too late," the demoness sang sweetly above him, and then he fell, and he floated, and dreamed.</p><p> </p><p>Everything felt as if he was floating in a cloud; only the fingers on his arm were too warm. It tormented him, burned his skin, and clashed with his calmness.</p><p> </p><p>A voice shouted something at him. It sounded as if said through cotton wool; he did not hear it.</p><p> </p><p>Then, there were several voices. They talked in confusion, argued, and he lay so well. Sleep had wrapped like a protective cloak around him, unbroken.</p><p> </p><p>There was another warmth. Hongjoong didn’t know anymore where above and below was, but from somewhere came warmth, and it spread, replaced the pleasant cold, and made a sharp pain out of it.</p><p> </p><p>He was confused, just trying to sleep, but slowly began to feel his body again and there was an arm around his hip, an arm that was much too warm on his cold skin and that-</p><p> </p><p><em>Oh</em>.</p><p> </p><p>He just got kissed.</p><p> </p><p>The heat came from there and forced itself into him instead of letting it drain him like the yokai before. It hurt unpleasantly.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong’s fingers were still numb, but he lifted them to the immobile shoulders in front of his body. He tried to get rid of the attacker and even managed for a moment, but then the boiling hot lips were back again, scorching hot. Hongjoong noticed now that his whole upper body was on fire where it was pressed to another person, and weakly he continued to fight against the searing heat.</p><p> </p><p>The voices had fallen silent, but now they returned slowly, softly at first, then louder and louder until Hongjoong found himself in the middle of an argument.</p><p> </p><p>For a short time, the lips let go of him and he sank back into the pleasant coolness that immediately spread within him again, probably sighing comfortably.</p><p> </p><p>Above him, someone was calling something, and already the heat was back again, but now in a completely different way.</p><p> </p><p>It was no longer a slowly growing feeling that gave him little pinpricks of cold; it was a whole surge of heat that forced itself into his mouth together with a long tongue. Hongjoong assumed he screamed; it hurt so much.</p><p> </p><p>He was always just being hurt, seriously...</p><p> </p><p>Out of pure defensive reflex, he bit it, but it was already over. The explosive heat had reached his fingertips again, and his counterpart just growled darkly, then he finally let go of Hongjoong. Their body disappeared completely to call out once more.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong was briefly disoriented, then he had the fantastic idea of opening his eyes and looking around in confusion. He was still standing on the terrace, but the snow was gone. The usual plants were shining darkly in the moonlight.</p><p> </p><p>There was also a glowing amber pair of eyes in the darkness.</p><p> </p><p>That, and Seonghwa, who held one hand to a shallow scratch in his face and stared sinisterly at a single frozen corner behind the sakura tree.</p><p> </p><p>"Take Hongjoong. I'll take care of her," Seonghwa said gloomily to the pair of eyes. They closed before a moment later, Mingi stepped towards them out of the darkness and carefully grabbed Hongjoong’s arm, pulling him away from the confusing scene.</p><p> </p><p>He was nicely warm.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Less Caressing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mingi had pulled Hongjoong back into the building without hesitation and directly into his room, locking the door. The human was still standing behind him in surprise when Mingi whipped around to him. Hongjoong saw blood flashing on his lips, then he was already back in Mingi’s arms, his face pressed against his shoulder.</p><p>"H-Hey!", he murmured, choked by the fabric in front of his lips and Mingi’s strong arms around his middle. He grasped the other man’s hips in uncertainty.</p><p>"In case you haven't figured it out yet... As soon as your heart or your brain stops working here, you're done for." The god murmured, rumbling at his hair, not letting go of Hongjoong, even as he wriggled in his arms.</p><p>"You are only a soul now, Hongjoong. A soul that takes material form here. You may be dead, but as long as the yokai are trying to feed on your soul, you can still die completely. There is no existence after this,” Mingi continued stubbornly. Hongjoong calmed himself down a bit, enjoying the feeling of taut skin under his fingers.</p><p>"If you were not already a corpse, you would already be dead. Several times! Wandering souls are easy prey for yokai, damn you, why are you so careless?!"</p><p>He breathed heavily and embarrassed, Hongjoong lowered his eyelids, still standing with his face pressed into Migni’s sweater.</p><p>"I'm sorry..." He mumbled indistinctly into the fabric (God, he hoped he didn't drool, but Mingi smelled so good right now and was nice and warm, and it was really hard not to drool.) Mingi’s chest fell in with a deep sigh that made Hongjoong feel a little bad.</p><p>He caused him too many worries. As an okami, Mingi was conspiring to protect everyone here (otherwise they would have been torn to shreds by now), and Hongjoong guessed he didn't make this job easy.</p><p>It was also not entirely fair that every time he had to come running to his rescue. He had probably just been sleeping.</p><p>Speaking of which.</p><p>Where did Seonghwa come from?</p><p>If he had been standing on that balcony again, amused about how Hongjoong fell for the yokai, then...</p><p>"It's much worse that you're in Seonghwa's debt now," Mingi muttered unwillingly in his low voice, strengthening his grip even more until Hongjoong thought he'd broken his ribs.</p><p>"Seong-...hwa?"</p><p>It slowly dawned on Hongjoong.</p><p>"I was too late, you would have been gone until he got there if it hadn't been for him... I have to talk to him."</p><p>Mingi withdrew from Hongjoong so abruptly that for a moment, Hongjoong moved after him, scared by the sudden cold.</p><p>Mingi didn't escape the reflex and sighing, he stepped back to Hongjoong to gently take his head into his rough hands. A warm kiss was pressed on his forehead.</p><p>"I am sorry. Try to get some rest, I'll postpone your mission and talk to Hwa," he whispered against his skin and then retreated for good to march right through the wall.</p><p>Hongjoong remained alone in his room.</p><p>Then it dawned on him.</p><p>"Yah! You took the key with you!"</p><p>He didn't hear him.</p><p>Of course, he didn't hear him.</p><p>Pouting, he got comfortable in his bed, pulled the blanket up to his chin, and also fell asleep surprisingly quickly.</p><p>-</p><p>The next morning the door was not magically open again, and Hongjoong sat in Mingi's room, sulking and lonely. He was bored to death (hah). Somewhen, he had the glorious idea to knock on the wall of Yunho's room, and indeed, shortly afterwards, the tall kitsune stuck his blue head through the obsidian, blinking at him with big eyes.</p><p>"Is this your new shape, or...? Please don't tell me you're planning to undress in front of the mirror and stare at his body, because that's fucking creepy, man.” Yunho scolded him with a frown. Hongjoong sighed and then slapped his hand in front of his forehead.</p><p>"It's me. Mingi locked me in here and took the key."</p><p>Now, full of curiosity, Yunho crawled completely through the wall, sat down opposite of Hongjoong.</p><p>Hongjoong, too, settled on Mingi's ridiculously soft carpet.</p><p>"Did he? Why?"</p><p>Hongjoong gave him the story from the night before, and with every sentence, he looked a) more incredulous, b) guiltier, and c) more panicky. When Hongjoong finally finished, Yunho just muttered a hasty apology under his breath and then ran out, too.</p><p>Hongjoong threw his hands in the air in frustration.</p><p>Not helpful.</p><p>It was more by chance that a few hours later, he heard Yeosang laughing outside in the corridor as he passed by. Hongjoong recognised his little giggles pretty well, and he was immediately on his feet from where he had stolen Mingi's book to read on the carpet and knocked wildly on the door.</p><p>"Yeosang! Hey! over here," he called out loudly to him. Yeosang said goodbye to whomever he had with him to stick his head through the wall just like Yunho had.</p><p>It was creepy, and if he ever did that in Hongjoong’s room at night, more than a book would fly.</p><p>Probably a chair.</p><p>"Hongjoong, hi! What brings you here?" He looked around Mingi's room aimlessly.</p><p>No Mingi, right.</p><p>Confused, Yeosang glanced at the human as he sat on the floor at the door like a defiant infant.</p><p>"Well, here's what happened - don't you dare run away from me - yesterday..." He started to tell his story again, only interrupted by San coming down the hall once. He thought it would be funny to slap Yeosang's butt that was still standing outside in the hallway so hard that Hongjoong flinched even in here. After a short scuffle, Yeosang dedicated his ear to Hongjoong again.</p><p>Somebody had given him a candy cane and mark his words; it was not a good combination. Hongjoong had lost his thread four times over it.</p><p>"I'm so jealous,” Yeosang concluded thoughtfully after Hongjoong had finished. His big eyes were a sharp contrast to the full lips that lay seductively wrapped around the candy cane. With a plop, he pulled the candy out of his mouth. Hongjoong managed to glance briefly back into his eyes, which were shining with mischief and wonder.</p><p>"I mean holy shit - he shouldn't have said that - Seonghwa kissed you! Checkmate! I am so jealous... Do you think that yuki person is still alive?"</p><p>Hongjoong sat in front of him with his mouth open and stared until it went 'whatsh!' again, and Yeosang jumped into the room completely, one hand on his backside. "I got it!" He shouted, red in the face, and San laughed an evil witch’s cackle, then he left again.</p><p>Hongjoong related, but that wasn't important right now.</p><p>Because what.</p><p>"How should I know that it was Seonghwa, it could have been Mingi as well," he pointed out sceptically. Yeosang sucked the cane again, and Hongjoong was frustrated, but Yeosang shook his head gravely.</p><p>"Nope, that's not a question. Firstly, you saw yellow eyes, right? Mingi is many things, but no one who would try to kiss you in wolf form. Otherwise, his eyes are brown, and he wouldn't switch in such a short time. And did you get a good look at our dear oni? Mingi is sweet and cuddly and everything, but Seonghwa is hot! There's your explanation."</p><p>He was incredible. So much for the virtue of angels.</p><p>But still...</p><p>Hongjoong was shaken.</p><p>With this mouth that ate people... The tongue he'd already had in a wound... It had even eaten parts of him!</p><p>"I feel sick."</p><p>Yeosang immediately jumped a few steps away from him, protecting his feet. Then he paused.</p><p>"Don't lie, you have no stomach."</p><p>Yes, thanks for reminding him.</p><p>Hongjoong buried his head in Mingi's soft carpet.</p><p>For a while, they spent their time sucking on their candy canes, respectively, or losing face in the carpet, you can probably guess who did what.</p><p>Hongjoong jumped up at some point to go and rinse his mouth in the bathroom, a very belated action. In Yeosang's eyes, it was also a very superfluous one, but he wanted to at least pretend.</p><p>Half an hour later, Yeosang was still grumbling about how jealous he was and cursing his own angel existence because hey, as a human being, he could have committed suicide at any time to kiss Seonghwa.</p><p>Hongjoong had a whole other crisis going on right now, and he didn't like it.</p><p>Besides, he was worried about Mingi and Yunho, who would surely get into trouble from Seonghwa.</p><p>"What do you say, is it worth it to take the pain? I think our faces will heal eventually, and I always wanted his throat to-" Hongjoong shut out Yeosang for the sake of his own innocence and chewed on his lips unsteadily for a moment. In the end, he decided to return to Seonghwa's chambers to see how things were going.</p><p>So, he grabbed the bewildered Yeosang by the arm and pushed him through the wall ahead of him to go along with him. When he was finally free, he left Yeosang behind to jump up the stairs as quickly as possible. He ignored the mute Hone on the fifth floor and bursting straight into Seonghwa's room.</p><p>It was his revenge for his sudden visit to his room yesterday, but as always, when it came to Seonghwa, he was the only one who had any regrets.</p><p>The oni had pushed Yunho against his bed and was kneeling over the half-naked boy's long, outstretched legs. His lips were on those of the other man when Hongjoong burst in.</p><p>Great timing, indeed.</p><p>Yunho's eyes immediately flew to him and then drifted away shyly while Seonghwa calmly finished his kiss. Hongjoong shuddered at the moist sound as his lips separated from those of the fox, and Seonghwa turned to him questioningly.</p><p>Hongjoong noticed belatedly that he too was half-naked - it wasn't always easy to recognize with these tattoos - and hurriedly, he fixated on a point on the wall as he clenched his hands together.</p><p>"Why do we always meet in such situations?" Seonghwa asked him with great amusement. Hongjoong stutteringly struggled for words but found none.</p><p>He rather looked around the room restlessly and found Mingi lying on his stomach on Seonghwa's bed, peacefully slumbering. A blanket covered him up to his chin.</p><p>Great ambience for sleeping, Hongjoong had to give him that.</p><p>"I was worried about Mingi," he said to Seonghwa, who was just brushing his hair out of his forehead without moving from a shy Yunho.</p><p>"Ah. Don't worry about that. He convinced me sufficiently, and we are now even. He's fine."</p><p>Mingi was sleeping pretty soundly for being fine.</p><p>Hongjoong stopped himself from pointing this out to Seonghwa. Instead, he wanted to flee the strange tension in the room.</p><p>"Then... we should talk about it some other time, see you later."</p><p>Hongjoong didn't look at them again. At least he had the information that everything was fine. He hurried down the stairs instead (that really kept him fit) and promptly crashed into San’s chest when the slightly bigger man just came through the wall on the fourth floor.</p><p>San immediately grabbed him wordlessly by the wrist and pulled him back through the wall down to the training room. Hongjoong protested the whole way, still wearing his mid-thigh nightgown and nothing else. It was really not the right fashion to fight.</p><p>"It reflects badly on me if you constantly miss the chance to at least attack your opponents." San calmly accused him and then went to the armoury to rummage around in it.</p><p>Hongjoong was toying with the idea of running away, but he didn't want to live through the consequences. So instead, he waited impatiently, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He looked up curiously when San came back with a blade, an elegant rapier to be exact.</p><p>"I am trained with bow and crossbow," he reminded the sin with a furrowed brow. San just nodded, then he pulled out two more swords.</p><p>"A crossbow is of no use against a yokai. Come here, we are skipping to the next level."</p><p>"I am wearing a nightgown." Not a chain mail or leather clothes of any kind.</p><p>"So what? Take it off if it bothers you.”</p><p>Hongjoong’s fighting spirit surged up. Full of new energy, he rushed towards a cocky San.</p><p>He did better than he expected. The sword lay lightly in his hand, and as soon as he had fully understood his new range, it was not so different from a dagger. The only problem was that his movements now came more from his shoulders and back than from his arm and wrist. San used his initial confusion to his advantage.</p><p>Not that it was overly bad, Hongjoong felt good about cutting his flesh all the time when he was completely untrained. However, the greedy glint in San’s eyes made him uneasy. Hongjoong always worried that he would suddenly reach for him and flinched away from his attacks.</p><p>It was an excessively hectic and choppy fight, not an elegant gliding as usual with this kind of weapon.</p><p>San didn't even seem to notice how small cuts adorned him everywhere, and he had never even touched him. He was inches away from simply drilling the sword into San’s chest to wake him up when suddenly a deep voice came from the door and almost made him run into San's blade.</p><p>"You're doing it wrong. Less fondling, more thrusting," said the now familiar voice of their dearest oni from the door. Hongjoong tripped over his own feet as he failed at his posture. San reacted in time and pulled his blade away before he took a step aside so he could stumble and fall comfortably.</p><p>Maybe he wouldn’t use a roll right now.</p><p>Quickly he sat up again and looked up at Seonghwa, who had come closer and was now crouching down in front of him. He was grinning deviously and stretched his fingers out towards the collar of Hongjoong’s white dress. For a moment, the strange fear rose inside Hongjoong that he would tear it off his body. He already moved his fingers towards his sword, then Seonghwa started to speak again.</p><p>"Where have the two buttons gone that I saw on this dress earlier tonight?" He demanded with a grin. Confusedly, Hongjoong looked down at himself, noticing belatedly the absence of the two buttons that had held the cloth together. Now half of his chest was exposed, and he played with the thought of angrily drilling his blade through San’s body.</p><p>He left the epee to cross his arms defensively over his chest, not feeling comfortable under the gaze of these two in particular. </p><p>"Why don't you join us next time the kajis come by? We don't want little Hongjoong to break." Seonghwa invited San with a good-natured grin. The expressionless face of the sin didn't give away any answer in Hongjoong’s opinion, but Seonghwa laughed out loud anyway.</p><p>The human sat on the floor, helpless, and did not move as Seonghwa's gaze glided down his naked legs as the oni rose.</p><p>"After all, you were fair enough not to train him in close combat today. Then I should have intervened," he praised San teasingly and then left the room again, laughing softly.</p><p>Hongjoong gave San an angry look.</p><p>"Damn, that would have been an idea too," muttered the man under his breath. This time it was Hongjoong, who left him standing.</p><p>Typical man.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. The Kanebo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yurei: Ghosts<br/>Hoshi no Tama: A magical pearl that contains a kitsune's life force and magic<br/>Byakko: A white tiger<br/>Kendo: Sword Fighting<br/>Kyudo: Archery<br/>Kuchisake-onna: A female yokai with a slit open mouth that does the same to people that tell her she is pretty</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Hongjoong met with Yunho at the entrance to leave for their postponed mission.</p><p>To his surprise, besides Mingi and Seonghwa, the other boys were all present and already chattering wildly when he arrived downstairs. He had thrown himself into his familiar leather clothes earlier that made him melt into the darkness.</p><p>Yeosang hugged Hongjoong first. He put his arms and wings around him to wrap him in a protective circle as warm and golden as possible. The angel smelled of honey when his face came to rest near Hongjoong’s neck. The human had to physically stop himself from tasting his skin to see if it tasted as good as it smelled.</p><p>"Be so good as to sort things out with Jongho until I get back," Hongjoong murmured against his shoulder, heard him laugh softly. </p><p>"I'll try."</p><p>After him, he hugged Jongho, who was standing next to Yunho in a sweater that was much too big on his shape. He looked quite small, and the embrace he pulled Hongjoong in was cuddly.</p><p>"Take care of yourself," Jongho asked him with a smile before he returned to Yunho. Hongjoong focused San with an incredulously raised eyebrow. The sin stood next to the group with a large object wrapped in a dark cloth and smiled honestly for a change, looking funny but at least peaceful.</p><p>"What, I won't be hugged?" San immediately teased Hongjoong mischievously, and stubbornly he crossed his arms in front of his chest, shaking his head.</p><p>"No. Not for yesterday."</p><p>He had set himself the goal of never touching Seonghwa or San voluntarily, important as it was.</p><p>Behind them, Yeosang exchanged a worried look with Jongho, but San gave up diplomatically.</p><p>"That is fair. Here, I brought you something." With that, he carefully handed over the long object. Hongjoong took it just as carefully from his hands to give him a questioning look.</p><p>"These are ronin, if they reach you, that's it. Try not to scratch it up."</p><p>Hongjoong just nodded gratefully - because hey, he had actually thought of a weapon for once - and then turned to Yunho, who had a funny pink touch in the tips of his hair. Overall, he didn't look particularly unobtrusive in his colourful clothes.</p><p>Hongjoong was curious to see what his hidden ace was.</p><p>They waved at the others again, Yeosang and Jongho reciprocated the gesture with both hands and a sweet smile on their faces. San had already disappeared again.</p><p>It was a bit sad that Hongjoong hadn't seen Mingi anymore...</p><p>Nevertheless, he followed Yunho without hesitation through the black door.</p><p>They entered a nightly dojo where a single man was standing, covered with full combat gear and a sword loosely at his side. Faint moonlight was streaming through the narrow windows and lit up random floorboards.</p><p>"Mars sends us," was all Yunho said deeply. The ronin nodded swiftly and then took off his helmet, revealing a young man with dark hair and darker brows.</p><p>Very untypically, he wore his hair short and didn't look at all surprised that they just barged in here.</p><p>"I will guide you. You are a fighter of kyudo. You of kendo." He pointed first at Hongjoong, then at Yunho. Slowly, it dawned on Hongjoong what San had packed for him. Not bad.</p><p>The man in front of them came over to silently hand the sword in his hand to Yunho and nod at him confidently.</p><p>"Come. We are being waited for.”</p><p>He walked ahead of them with this, helmet under his arm and he blinked at Yunho only briefly, then he hurriedly followed the man.</p><p>"What is he?" Hongjoong whispered quietly to Yunho on the way. The nameless man stubbornly walked ahead, not bothering to light a torch in the dark forest.</p><p>"Obake. A byakko."</p><p>So that's how it was, a white tiger. Then he wouldn't need to light a torch.</p><p>Thus, Hongjoong stayed close to Yunho, who also saw in the dark. They walked in peace with him through the quietly rustling forest towards the small, hidden inn in the mountains.</p><p>Their guide resolutely pushed open the door lit by around the edges by the light from inside when he arrived. He revealed a long table where a group of colourfully dressed ronin sat and laughed together as they entered.</p><p>"Maddox! What an honour to see you here!" One of the guys, a tall, tattooed man with a beard called to their now named leader in a good mood. Maddox bowed his head to point at Yunho and Hongjoong, who had appeared behind him.</p><p>"This is the yurei I told you about. Your Kitsune should be powerful enough to accomplish their mission," he said firmly, and ah, okay, Hongjoong was Yunho's master now.</p><p>Confidently he stepped forward, his eyes wandering over the pack. He noticed that they had not been teleported back to Seonghwa automatically. Yunho probably had a way back.</p><p>"My name is Hongjoong. I was told my services here would be richly rewarded."</p><p>He had to find the kanebo.</p><p>The men looked very smug and superior about the young and considerably smaller boy in front of them. Yunho, who stepped up silently and hugely by his side, seemed to intimidate them again.</p><p>"That's right, sweetie. You help us bring down an influential yakuza leader, and we will shower you with gold."</p><p>Something was wrong.</p><p>Something apart from his false promises.</p><p>Hongjoong forced himself to stand his ground and just nod.</p><p>"Earthly possessions don't interest me. Just give him the souls of the dead, and we'll leave it at that." He negotiated into safe waters, and the guys looked satisfied, then pointed to the adjacent rooms.</p><p>"Then please rest. We'll be leaving bright and early tomorrow. We will wake you up."</p><p>With a polite nod, Hongjoong crossed the room with Yunho by his side. They got into position in that room back there, while outside the chatting started again.</p><p>Yunho wove a wall around them that did not let any sound escape outside and hid them from prying eyes.</p><p>"They will try to attack you tonight while I am away. You must not kill any of them. I will disguise you as a kuchisake-onna and hopefully scare them enough to make them think twice before they attack. It was a good plan to wear this." Smiling, he pointed to Hongjoong’s face, which was half-covered by his mask. It was an old habit of his to hide his face so far that only his eyes could be seen.</p><p>"Can you feel the kanebo?" He inquired excitedly at the idea of scaring the men. Yunho appeared thoughtful for a moment.</p><p>"I would, but it's not here. Watch out for the old man, he's suspicious.”</p><p>Hongjoong nodded gravely and then opened the bundle San had gifted him. He found an elegant silver longbow with detailed decorations on it, a matching quiver with silver arrows, his previously familiar rapier, and a scalpel.</p><p>The dagger immediately slipped into his belt, while he placed the bow and quiver in a clearly visible corner and hid the rapier.</p><p>"I wish you good luck." Yunho looked a little uncertain, and Hongjoong smiled reassuringly at him.</p><p>"These are humans. All my life I've done nothing but trick humans. I can do it," he reassured the silent kitsune. The man in question smiled shyly; then he disappeared through the next wall.</p><p>Damned show-off.</p><p>Hongjoong got comfortable leaned against a wall. He let his head hang in artificial sleep and got ready.</p><p>They weren't too bad he had to give them that. Their feet scurried almost silently across the floor, and their breath could not be heard. Had he not been trained for so long, he probably would not have noticed them at all.</p><p>As cold steel touched his neck and he had finished suffering through his San flashbacks, he slowly raised his head. Unbrokenly, he glared at the guy above him, who was grinning arrogantly and holding his sword to Hongjoong’s neck.</p><p>"Good evening, pretty boy." He mocked, and from the different corners of the room sounded approving tasteless giggles.</p><p>Hongjoong too, smiled under his mask. How nice that they paid him a visit!</p><p>"You must excuse us; we've locked your fox out... But there is no need to worry; we only want to play. You will play, won't you?"</p><p>The tip of his sword slipped down to where Hongjoong’s sweater stretched across his chest. He'd have an easy time cutting the cloth there.</p><p>"You think I'm pretty?" Hongjoong played his game and looked up at them hopefully. He felt the disgusting men with their superiority complex almost vibrate.</p><p>"Of course, you are pretty, my dear. You would be even more so without all those clothes on your skin." The man responded perfectly. Hongjoong slowly raised his hand, playing coy. As he reached for his mask, he blindly trusted Yunho.</p><p>With one movement, he pulled the cloth down to his neck. The men froze at the sight of the hideous grimace of a kuchisake-onna. Hongjoong heard some of them hiss warningly.</p><p>The men changed restless glances but did not retreat.</p><p>One of them laughed nervously.</p><p>"Do you still think I'm pretty like this?" Hongjoong asked sadly and the men, now clearly upset, hurried to answer.</p><p>"Of course!" One called from a corner, so Hongjoong memorised their voice.</p><p>"As beautiful as the morning.” A second.</p><p>"Such a small scar doesn't take away any real beauty." Three, and Hongjoong was glad not to have a stomach that he could throw up with, thank you for once, Seonghwa.</p><p>"We see your beauty, don't worry," the guy in front of him also reassured him. By now, he had lowered his sword far enough.</p><p>Hongjoong jumped into action.</p><p>The dagger slipped from his belt and danced across the room. Here a head crashed into the wall, there a knee into a face, and then metal against temples.</p><p>The ronin with their noble swordsmanship and long katana did not expect his agile tricks. Before they knew it, they were all scattered across the floor, some bloody, some not.</p><p>Hongjoong cut bloody smiles into the faces of the four who had talked, finally had to live up to the myth. Only then, he left the room to go outside. He found the old man calmly drinking his tea at the dining area.</p><p>Hongjoong sat down next to him and grabbed the cup that had been provided.</p><p>Oh, yes, he could not drink.</p><p>Sighing, he warmed his hands on it.</p><p>"No sword fighting, no poison... Can you be killed, love?" The old man whispered fragilely to him. Hongjoong smiled his cruel grin with a mouth that was split open until up to his ears. The grandpa did not even flinch.</p><p>"I am already dead. And in possession of a hoshi no tama. I am powerful enough not to die from such attacks, even if they hit me,” he told him calmly. The old man nodded thoughtfully; then he took a sip of his tea.</p><p>"Are you also powerful enough to face Mary?” He inquired curiously and oh, Hongjoong had not been aware that he was their target.</p><p>All the better.</p><p>"Hmm... I probably would be, but he's a strong oni. I fear the power of his kanebo." Hongjoong already was afraid of his eyes, but okay, whatever.</p><p>"We have taken his kanebo from him. He is vulnerable," the old man confessed. Apparently, Hongjoong had passed the test and casually settled down a bit more comfortable.</p><p>"Yeah? How did you do that?"</p><p>The old man just smiled, uncertainly.</p><p>"I'm not without powers, either. We have powerful allies. Yurei, tennin, even yokai. But you can't defeat Mars with them," he announced regretfully. Hongjoong hummed thoughtfully while looking around the room uninterested.</p><p>"Well, where is his kanebo? It's hard to trust you when you just tell me that."</p><p>"Yet, we can't trust you completely, which is why I'm not going to share this information. It's in a safe place." He smiled indulgently when he just nodded.</p><p>"Then I guess I'll just have to take your word for it, won't I? Before my own kitsune turns against me."</p><p>The old man nodded benignly, and Hongjoong just hoped that Yunho had heard his slip and could draw some conclusions.</p><p>Hongjoong, for his part, spent the rest of the night at peace with the old man. He accepted the apologies of the gradually awakening ronin and ignored the horrified cries of the four who found their faces remodelled.</p><p>Later, they also dropped their unloved defences against Yunho and explained to him their plan of battle. They were going to enter a building Seonghwa was not even in, in order to defeat him there. They also disclosed how exactly they had explored everything.</p><p>Yunho returned to them later and didn't let on whether he had found the club or not. However, Hongjoong felt him pressing a thumb turned upwards against his thigh in between, which should suffice.</p><p>Hongjoong told them that Yunho could teleport them straight into the castle without having to fight long. Hongjoong himself would distract Mars there long enough for them to ambush him.</p><p>When they later rose to leave, the kitsune nodded to Hongjoong in secret, and he knew, yes, now he could walk through a door to Seonghwa again. On purpose, he left his mask down. Maybe he could scare Seonghwa, too. He went ahead of them into Seonghwa's currently empty dining room, collecting them there.</p><p>The ronin looked around attentively but trusted him in their stupidity.</p><p>"My kitsune senses the oni one floor below. I will keep watch until he comes and then fight him here. As soon as he is weak enough, you will finish him," he put their play perfectly on stage, and the ronin nodded confidently. Skilled, they hid in their corners and in the ceiling (the shafts hadn't been there before, wow, the effort).</p><p>Yunho stayed with them as a distraction and unnecessarily guarded the door to the staircase. He made sure that nobody escaped.</p><p>Hongjoong, on the other hand, walked into Seonghwa's personal room, almost expecting to catch him hovering over someone else.</p><p>But no, he was just lying on his bed alone and topless, reading his book without a care in the world.</p><p>"We're back," Hongjoong announced needlessly. He knew fully well that the open door only showed the ronin a glimpse of the staircase and that he was not heard.</p><p>Hongjoong liked Yunho's powers, really liked them.</p><p>Seonghwa looked up and paused briefly at the sight of Hongjoong’s face; then he slammed his book shut.</p><p>A big smile spread across his face, making his human face seem almost as ominous as his demon face. He rose to walk towards Hongjoong, reaching for his mouth in fascination.</p><p>He knocked his hand aside.</p><p>"Hands off, you're ruining it," he scolded him with a hint of triumph because his mission had gone so well and was relieved when Seonghwa just kept smiling.</p><p>Seonghwa was indeed always playful and only became dangerous when you stood bleeding in front of him while he was hungry.</p><p>"Looks really good, not to say beautiful." He winked at Hongjoong as he reached for the dagger on his belt, jokingly threatening to do the same to him.</p><p>"How many pretty smiles await me outside, huh?" He turned and lifted his black, flower-decorated coat from the floor. He slipped into it without closing it, as usual.</p><p>"Four." With a smile, Hongjoong coquettishly put his hand to his cheek and closed his eyes for a moment. The warm triumph of his win swirled in his belly.</p><p>"I should actually ask you not to kill my new fan club," he continued and opened his eyes again. He accepted the book Seonghwa handed to him.</p><p>"Sorry, I don't make the rules. You can ask around in the tower later; I'm sure San would pull it off very well." Seonghwa grinned cruelly at him, and his true face flickered up for a moment before he was the oni Hongjoong knew him as. Ominously, Seonghwa stepped out into his dining room.</p><p>Hongjoong closed the door behind him before the screaming started.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Hanyo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hanyo: A child, half-human, half-demon<br/>Izanami: Creator of the World, an ur-goddess</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day Seonghwa took them all to the upper world to play.</p><p> </p><p>Cute, wasn't it?</p><p> </p><p>So, while he was shooting his gloomy yakuza deals, they all sat together in a big park. It was mainly green grasses that were dotted by singular plane trees. They spent their time running laughing across the meadows.</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang was disguised as a human being today, but it did not harm his beauty. Hongjoong honestly thought that every blind person should have recognised him by his charisma, but many people were not here anyway, so he forgave them not to fall on their knees in front of him immediately.</p><p> </p><p>Jongho seemed more exuberant. He laughed more, and his pink gums appeared under his cheeks when he grinned so big. Yet, Hongjoong still didn't know what the situation was with him and Yeosang.</p><p> </p><p>Yunho was sporty. He was always dancing or jumping around somewhere, climbing trees and hanging from their branches, looking like a child. He never let go of the extra barrier he had woven around them. Very energetic</p><p> </p><p>San was rather inactive. Most of the time, he would just sit in some shady place and doze, and sometimes he would appear behind Yeosang with a grin and steal his cookies, you never knew for sure.</p><p> </p><p>While Hongjoong was playing Ludo for Tennin with Yeosang and Jongho most of the time - and the two were shouting wildly - there were also moments when he too just let himself fall into the long-missed sun and closed his eyes, enjoying the warm grass around him.</p><p> </p><p>But they had Mingi with them.</p><p> </p><p>And Mingi was in wolf form today - which was why they needed the protective wall despite the camouflage. Of course, he never ran around the tower as wildly as he did here, and he needed to get his time to destress. Like a real dog, he played catch for a while with Yunho and generally caused a lot of amusement.</p><p> </p><p>So, while Hongjoong was just lying quietly in the grass enjoying his day off, Mingi came over at some point. Without warning began to lick over Hongjoong’s hand, which he had placed in peace on his stomach with his cold tongue.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong jumped in shock – he had been half dozing -, and Mingi just watched him mischievously, a somewhat sizeable black wolf grinning at a human.</p><p> </p><p>"Okay, suggestion," Hongjoong began, burying his hand between Mingi’s ears and watching him snuggle happily into his touch.</p><p> </p><p>"You run down to the river and back and bring me back a stone. Meanwhile, I'll see which tree Yunho is hiding in and persuade him to play with you again, okay?"</p><p> </p><p>Mingi just barked at him and then flew away, disappearing faster than Hongjoong got on his feet.</p><p> </p><p>He started to look, noticing San, who had sat down in the shade again, grumbling after the sun had moved. Yeosang was lying in the meadow above Jongho and had pinned the other one at his wrists underneath him.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong did not ask.</p><p> </p><p>Much rather he just wandered from tree to tree and peered curiously into their crowns, trying to find their resident fox.</p><p> </p><p>As it looked, however, he did not want to be found.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong wandered so long only aimlessly around and tried to discover the Kitsune until Mingi was back and simply knocked him down. His massive paws on his back came as a surprise, and seconds later, Hongjoong was already lying in the grass with an 'oof' and tried not to get the halms into his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>With a protesting sound, he rolled around. He had landed clumsily on his hand, and now it hurt. He gasped for breath while Mingi promptly stood above him, looked down at him with his golden eyes, worried. He bent his head to Hongjoong with a whimper and licked apologetically over his neck and cheek. He didn’t really make it any better, but hey, it was okay.</p><p> </p><p>Discreetly ticklish, Hongjoong suppressed his laughter to let his fingers slide through the wolf’s thick fur, telling him he was okay.</p><p> </p><p>Who needed words when you actually just had a dog in front of you.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong’s eyes closed again, the sun warm in his face and the body next to him all the warmer. Under his fingers, the structure of the hair changed; it became longer, softer. For a moment, he continued to stroke Mingi’s hair and then opened one eye again to take a look at his relaxed face. The okami had closed his eyes peacefully and gave in to the feeling. With a soft laugh, Hongjoong let his eyelids fall again and continued to make his fingers play lazily.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong didn't think he was actually surprised when Mingi’s lips met his.</p><p> </p><p>At that moment he did not even look up, he was so calm, he just gave in to the kiss and kept his hand where it was.</p><p> </p><p>It was so peaceful, so natural to lie in the grass and be kissed by him, while somewhere birds were chirping, and the wind was rustling the leaves softly.</p><p> </p><p>For the first time, Hongjoong regretted being dead and not being able to do this every day.</p><p> </p><p>But then again, he could always come back here. All he had to do was steal his life away, and he would have no more worries in the world.</p><p> </p><p>Mingi's lips glided velvety over his as he put his arms around his waist and turned them around, pulling Hongjoong on top of him. He could lie peacefully on Mingi’s chest and just kiss him.</p><p> </p><p>Going back could wait.</p><p> </p><p>For the moment, it was enough for Hongjoong as it was.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Yunho was sneaking around as a fox, and that was why they had not found him.</p><p> </p><p>His electric blue fox was much bigger and more imposing than Mingi's wolf but didn't seem threatening. He had curled up in the shade next to San when Hongjoong returned to them later, and Seonghwa had made himself comfortable on their side, chatting quietly with San.</p><p> </p><p>The oni looked up at them when Hongjoong arrived with Mingi and grinned broadly, almost tearing the rug out from underneath Hongjoong’s feet.</p><p> </p><p>"Yah! Watch out," Mingi yelled at Seonghwa as Hongjoong staggered back visibly. He had to stabilise himself on the arm of the god, because he, the... Hongjoong couldn't breathe.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa was still grinning, but it was not the mocking, cruel, cynical, or sadistic grin Hongjoong had gotten used to. Instead, he was utterly radiant. His smile was huge and dorky, twisting his whole face into what looked like a pained expression. His eyes nearly disappeared, and he was showing off so many of his straight, white teeth, and he looked like a child, and wow.</p><p> </p><p>Just wow.</p><p> </p><p>It seemed so natural on him too, not as strangely forced as San's smile. It was a smile that Seonghwa definitely smiled a lot, and Hongjoong had just never seen it before.</p><p> </p><p>For a moment, his heart would probably have stopped again.</p><p> </p><p>Mingi had pulled Hongjoong close and shielded him from Seonghwa's bright smile. It was now paired with a deep laugh, and Hongjoong grasped the hand over his eyes to pull it down in disbelief.</p><p> </p><p>"I didn't think you knew how to smile," Hongjoong said in amazement in the direction of oni. His smile became almost embarrassed and, oh God, what happened here.</p><p> </p><p>Was he in love? Hongjoong would blame love for such a sudden change in a human, but an oni?</p><p> </p><p>Had he eaten the wrong person?</p><p> </p><p>Before Hongjoong got an answer, Jongho and Yeosang came running towards them hand in hand, Yeosang in a hopping run, while Jongho just giggled gleefully.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, so happy!" The strange phenomenon did not escape the angel's notice, and he pointed accusingly at Seonghwa, who was just grinning even wider.</p><p> </p><p>"Have you met Karou? Oh man, you did, didn't you? How is she?!"</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong was confused by the woman's name that suddenly came up in conversation. Searchingly, he glanced around among the excited boys.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa had his slender hands in front of his mouth, but they couldn't hide his big, stupid grin.</p><p> </p><p>"She's so sweet," he then brought out quietly and shyly before tipping his head into San's shoulder with a giggle. The sin now raised his head in surprise, having been sleeping.</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang and Jongho erupted in fangirl attacks while Mingi left Hongjoong’s side to go to Seonghwa.</p><p> </p><p>The former human stared at the laughing oni with his mouth open. He had expected anything but this, and when he met Yunho's eyes, there was so much warmth in his gaze that he really wondered what he had missed.</p><p> </p><p>And what it was about Karou.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>After their play day, they returned energetically to their foggy tower. The whole rest of the evening, Hongjoong was still shocked by the laughter of Oni, by the joy with which his face had shone. The others, however, seemed to understand, and Yeosang had laughingly clung to Hongjoong and escorted him through the walls. At the same time, Seonghwa still hung on Mingi's shoulder, giggling softly, and babbling unfocused.</p><p> </p><p>It would be most amusing to watch the god of death while doing so if Hongjoong wasn't so surprised.</p><p> </p><p>The question of who Karou was kept burning in his head and often almost slipped over his tongue, but he was careful until he was alone with the other boys. Soon, Mingi winked at him conspiratorially and then took Seonghwa away.</p><p> </p><p>San had disappeared with Yunho, and Hongjoong found himself in Yeosang's room with the tennin and Jongho. Like a sack of potatoes, he fell cumbersomely onto the angel's bed.</p><p> </p><p>"So... You and Mingi, huh?" Yeosang teased him as soon as the door was closed and then crawled between his pillows to make himself comfortable. Jongho stripped his shoes off before he fell lengthwise onto the bed next to Hongjoong.</p><p> </p><p>The human started to search very busily for a pillow to cuddle, denying any redness on his cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, and what is it with you two in the meantime?" He tried nonchalantly as the two just laughed at him. Now, the two exchanged a glance before Yeosang raised his shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>"I suppose we'll give it a try. You don't have that much choice in here."</p><p> </p><p>Jongho looked scandalised, Yeosang threw him a kiss. Both erupted in giggles.</p><p> </p><p>"Okay, let's get to the point. Who is Karou?" Hongjoong asked curiously, and Yeosang grinned suspiciously again, wagging his eyebrows.</p><p> </p><p>"Why, jealous?" He insinuated, laughing. Hongjoong hit him with his pillow – when spending time with Yeosang, one always needed a weapon for their own good.</p><p> </p><p>"Totally, yes. I really wonder what that woman has to do with his absolute dearest man-eater," Hongjoong mocked eye-twistingly. Jongho snorted amusedly beside me, then got comfortable with his head on Yeosang's shorts-clad thighs.</p><p> </p><p>"She is his Hanyo," Yeosang then said without hesitation in his voice. Hongjoong was taken by surprise one more, but at least this time, he was already sitting. Still, he stretched out a hand to stabilise himself, and Jongho grabbed it firmly, squeezing it soothingly.</p><p> </p><p>Oh dear.</p><p> </p><p>"What the... Really?!" He asked in a mixture of disgust, fascination, and shock. Yeosang's face had become severe again. He nodded.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong shifted his weight, dropping Jongho's hand. He felt his eyes glide into a far distance as the imagination overcame him and hurriedly, he snapped back to reality, looking for the signs of a prank on both of their faces.</p><p> </p><p>"He doesn't bring her here, and she's growing up with his brother. He is a nicer version of Seonghwa... Well, he will introduce her to you someday when you become better friends," Jongho told him quietly. Hongjoong had so many questions, but he held back.</p><p> </p><p>"How old is she?"</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang glanced down on Jongho, looking for help. He raised his shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>"She ages more slowly than humans do, but... Ten, perhaps? In human years? Don't ask me how old she really is as a demon. She was here before Jongho died." Yeosang gave the reaper a little nudge against the shoulder. Only now, Hongjoong started to think about the fact that Yeosang had lived here much longer than Jongho. The reaper had probably liked him for centuries, and that was very impressive.</p><p> </p><p>"If we calculate, then she must have lived about 500 years already, but only reached the size of a ten-year-old... Well."</p><p> </p><p>Ah, he got it.</p><p> </p><p>He didn't have to ask about the mother.</p><p> </p><p>"And his brother is also an oni, but he lives in the human world?”</p><p> </p><p>They shook their heads at the same time.</p><p> </p><p>"His brother is a yurei like you. And he also has a kaji for his wife. They only live there; they travel around regularly. Izanami, do you know Izanami?" Yeosang explained further. Horrifying images of a bloodstained goddess with two sickles, grinning cruelly, came up in Hongjoong’s head, and he nodded slowly.</p><p> </p><p>"His sister," Jongho read his face with a grin. The human cuddled his pillow a little tighter, shivering a little.</p><p> </p><p>"Lovely family," he muttered distraughtly, and Jongho grimaced, while Yeosang nodded with bright eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"For normal people, they are crass, yes," Jongho felt compelled to say and glanced at the totally enthusiastic Yeosang, shaking his head in disbelief.</p><p> </p><p>"But is she the only one? Or does he have... many?" Hongjoong cringed a little at the question, but Jongho thought about it seriously and shook his head slowly.</p><p> </p><p>"There used to be more of them, but some have grown up and left, most of them he never sees anyway. It should also be noted that most human women do not want to sleep with him once they know what he is all about. And they even less want to die from his spawn."</p><p> </p><p>Which was perfectly understandable. In Hongjoong’s opinion. Yeosang looked like he was ready to protest.</p><p> </p><p>"I think he has more who are all yokai. Female yokai like to lure around him. But they are more independent, grow up faster. I think Karou is the only one he really cares about and visits from time to time. But she is also charming. Very different from her father."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong nodded slowly.</p><p> </p><p>"I see... She seems to make him happy," he observed muttering. He still had Seonghwa’s big, bright smile in his mind's eye. Jongho nodded with the same warmth in his eyes as Yunho had before. He seemed to have as much of a weakness for Seonghwa as almost everyone in here.</p><p> </p><p>Only for San Hongjoong hadn't noticed anything in that direction yet.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, <em>I</em>-" Yeosang started, but Jongho hurried to press a hand on his lips in warning.</p><p> </p><p>"<em>You</em> are silent," Jongho ended resolutely for him and grinned at Yeosang. The angel stared down at the shinigami full of betrayal.</p><p> </p><p>"But if you really care more about his family, you should ask him. Anyway, there is no reason for jealousy, Seonghwa never had a steady woman in his life and will never have one," Jongho started to tease again. Hongjoong’s pillow hit him, and he let Yeosang go laughing to defend himself.</p><p> </p><p>"Ten minutes ago, you asked him what was going on with Mingi!" Hongjoong scolded them jokingly. Yeosang spoke again.</p><p> </p><p>"After all, you have the opportunity! I don't understand you, you can sleep with Seonghwa after all, why don't you do it?!" He shook his head in disbelief, and this time Jongho's pillow hit him flat in the face, further messing up his already chaotic hair.</p><p> </p><p>"We'll talk about this again when he has shredded <em>your</em> guts, alright?"</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang just sulked at him and then suddenly burst into a big, ambiguous grin.</p><p> </p><p>"I mean, he <em>kissed</em> you."</p><p> </p><p>Giggling, he jumped up and fled as Hongjoong ran after him with the pillow and the full intention of smothering him.</p><p> </p><p>"You wish! I've seen how quickly Mingi changes his shape; it might as well have been him!"</p><p> </p><p>"Why can't you savour the moment?!"</p><p> </p><p>"Because there's nothing to savour, you shoebill!"</p><p> </p><p>Jongho just laughed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. A new Mission</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After their pillow-fight, Hongjoong had returned to his room at some point. He had changed there and then walked straight out onto the balcony.</p><p>Yeosang had told him that the kajis would probably be here again today and that he shouldn't worry, but, of course, he was surprised, he was restless.</p><p>Hongjoong hadn't expected that the oni could be so loving to his daughter. To be honest, he hadn't expected any positive feelings from Seonghwa at all. Rather, Hongjoong had suspected that he had lost them over the years. But just as he had a moral understanding, the oni seemed to be capable of love, and that made him worthy of a God.</p><p>Hongjoong’s plan for tonight was to draw a floor plan of the building and see what might be on the lower floors. There were no doors, so he could only speculate, but in one of Hongjoong’s books, it had clearly stated that Yama was also the one who took care of the souls of those who went to hell.</p><p>So, it could be that souls were trapped down there.</p><p>Or they were somewhere else, and it was the archive about people.</p><p>Or the other half was entitled to the yurei if it was taken by the yokai up here.</p><p>There were some more possibilities, but not all of them made enough sense to keep him away from there because of. That was why he reckoned with these three most likely.</p><p>The second option would come in handy. There were certainly other ways to become immortal here, but some of them probably involved unpleasant rituals that he would like to stay away from, thank you very much.</p><p>The most obvious solution would probably be to ask Jongho if the archive was even here. The rest was almost none of his business, but some curiosity did come along. Maybe there was something to steal?</p><p>Old habits die hard.</p><p>Thoughtfully Hongjoong looked down at his book with the teaching about mythological figures. He tried to think of something.</p><p>What if the archive wasn't here? Should he try his hand at being reaper? Or find a way to live on earth as yurei like Seonghwa's brother? Or maybe he should become a mighty yokai? He had played his role as kuchisake-onna quite convincingly after all.</p><p>For that, he'd probably have to talk to Seonghwa.</p><p>Hongjoong took a peek at the empty balcony above him, then shook off the thought. Who knew what he was asking for in return. Hongjoong had to figure it out on his own.</p><p>His gaze wandered over the fog that surrounded the tower like a thick cloud, showing no ground if there was any at all. The view from the roof would undoubtedly be fabulous if there were a landscape here. He should talk to Yunho.</p><p>"Are you becoming moonstruck?" A soft voice behind Hongjoong inquired, and he looked up to see Yeosang. Even in the darkness, the man was still glowing unconsciously, now approaching the human.</p><p>"Perhaps. I find himself here more and more often," Hongjoong replied softly. Yeosang leaned against the balustrade beside him to look out into the star-filled sky, gently shaking out his beautiful wings.</p><p>Hongjoong let his glance for a moment, and he studied Yeosang’s eyes, their shape, and the large birthmark next to one of his eyes. His smile showed his little teeth.</p><p>Hongjoong turned away as his heart did its imaginary somersaults again.</p><p>"I'm sorry it has to be like this. I have talked to Jongho about it, and we still don't know if it is because of his nature or because of real feelings. I learned a long time ago not to react to it," Yeosang murmured to himself. Hongjoong felt sorry, but he refrained from reaching for his hand, not wanting to offend him.</p><p>"My character is not made for this... When people flake around Seonghwa, he allows them to do so, entertains them until they get tired of it. But I don't manage to keep my own emotions apart that well."</p><p>A true angel.</p><p>Yeosang's pretty lips were tightly pressed together while he stared narrowly into the night as if it was the source of all evil.</p><p>Hongjoong just sighed and looked up into the stars with him for a while. He rose in surprise when he heard the giggling of women coming from the door.</p><p>Confused, he turned around and saw three kajis; young, pretty things walking up to them. Their lips were shining red, and their hair looked like spun silk.</p><p>"Wrong floor, ladies, Lord Yama is one floor up," Yeosang immediately addressed them with a smile. He slid discreetly between Hongjoong and them as he raised his hands defensively.</p><p>"Oh, no, we just saw you here, and you looked so lonely. We thought we could certainly sweeten the night for you two," one smiled playfully at them. Yeosang made a regretful expression.</p><p>"Unfortunately, unfortunately, my beauties, I cannot assist you there. And my companion is surely already too tired, isn't he?", he asked, half turned to Hongjoong. His smile was plastered to his lips as Hongjoong stepped to his side. He bowed his head politely before the women.</p><p>"Sadly, that is true. Go back to Lord Yama, he will be able to distract you," he agreed calmly, and the women with their elegant hands and long nails looked a bit sad. However, they raised their eyes in surprise when another presence appeared in the doorway, immediately causing a distraction.</p><p>Hongjoong hated being right.</p><p>"What is this? A nocturnal rendezvous in the moonlight?" Seonghwa grinned out of the dark. He had returned to his sarcastic facade, but he looked more buttered as if he was drunk.</p><p>When he came over to them, the moonlight glided affectionately over his bared tattoos. No matter how many times Hongjoong confused it, he was not wearing a top.</p><p>Automatically Hongjoong lowered his gaze, found it rude to stare, and they waited until he had come over. He took one woman each in a hold around their waists and had them pressing contentedly against his body.</p><p>"Are you alright?" Seonghwa asked quietly. When Hongjoong raised his eyes back to his face, he met Seonghwa’s inquiring gaze before it slipped back to Yeosang.</p><p>"All is well, yes. We'll go back inside. Good night," Yeosang answered him curtly and then grabbed Hongjoong’s arm. He maneuvered them around the strange group and back into the hallway, pausing briefly.</p><p>"Whom can I blame for falling for someone unintentionally... I can't even stop looking at a damned yokai myself!”</p><p>Silently, Hongjoong stood behind him and listened to his words, how he grumbled to himself. He said something about how this was inappropriate and that yes, everyone here had a thing for Seonghwa somehow, but he didn't play the right role for something like that.</p><p>When Hongjoong heard steps approaching quietly from behind them, he turned around. He found himself looking up at Seonghwa, who had come in alone and silently watched them. He was still not down from his emotional trip.</p><p>Just as Hongjoong was about to draw Yeosang's attention to him, Seonghwa just shook his head and walked away through the wall.</p><p>Strange.</p><p>-</p><p>"I have a new mission for you."</p><p>Shocked again by Seonghwa’s sudden appearance, Hongjoong looked up frantically from where he knelt over San and held a dull knife to the sin's tanned neck. San immediately used his distraction to get Hongjoong under him, blocking his view with broad shoulders. His own blade was now on Hongjoong’s neck; his body stretched on his.</p><p>“You do?" Hongjoong still asked Seonghwa, who had come closer and was watching them attentively. Hongjoong grabbed San's wrist and drilled his fingers into his nerve point. As soon as his grip eased, he wedged their arms, struggling with him.</p><p>"You're bleeding."</p><p>Shocked, Hongjoong looked up at San, who didn't let him out of his sight. The man spoke to Seonghwa without even turning his head. His fox-like eyes remained on Hongjoong’s flushed face.</p><p>"Leave him alone; this is my blood," he almost growled at the oni. The demon wisely took a step back to be on the safe side, respecting both his own and San's boundaries.</p><p>For a short time, he observed them. When they didn't make any effort to separate from each other and thus to lose in the end, Seonghwa just kept on talking.</p><p>"It's a training mission for both of you. I have a top priority mission and need a talented thief for it. San, you will train him, and as soon as he manages to steal my kanebo without me catching him, you will leave."</p><p>Well, how would that work?</p><p>"Use any tricks that come into your pretty little heads. I won’t complain about not getting hurt. You just have to make it."</p><p>It was perfect. Seonghwa trained Hongjoong to cut him out.</p><p>He trusted the trickster.</p><p>San slipped in Hongjoong’s suddenly slackening grip and just managed to pull his knife away before he would have pierced the human’s neck in front of the oni's watchful eyes.</p><p>Slowly, Hongjoong sat up. He still had his legs in the clamp grip around San’s agile hips.</p><p>"Are you sure?" was all he asked of Seonghwa. The oni nodded firmly, looking attentively back and forth between him and San.</p><p>His eyes had grown darker again, his gaze sharper, and the magic Karou had woven around him seemed to fade.</p><p>It was a pity, but Hongjoong still looked at him differently than before. More human.</p><p>"Alright. Be ready, I'm not training him for leniency." A grin grew on San's face, and Seonghwa returned it sinisterly, looking ten times more murderous than the already deadly mortal sin.</p><p>"You shall not."</p><p>Seonghwa left them alone again without further ado, and San looked down at Hongjoong with a frown for a moment, then a goblin-like grin formed on his face. It wasn’t helping his extremely psychopathic touch.</p><p>"I have the greatest idea."</p><p>Hongjoong got curious.</p><p>-</p><p>He hated it.</p><p>"He won't fall for that in a hundred years, what do you expect him to do?"</p><p>"No, you don't understand, that's exactly what distracts him. How else are you gonna get into his room without him noticing, huh?"</p><p>Helplessly, Hongjoong raised his shoulders.</p><p>"I'll wait till he's in the library?"</p><p>San shook his head violently.</p><p>"No, you don't. You have to understand how he thinks. Of course, he will give you endless chances until you figure it out, but he expects you to make it on the first try. Otherwise, he could have asked Yeosang, the clumsy one. He expects something clever. And if it doesn't work, at least he'll have a good impression."</p><p>"I have the feeling that you just want Seonghwa bleeding at your feet for you.” Hongjoong seriously doubted his weird sin, and San just grinned madly.</p><p>"On his knees is best, yes," he confessed without any shame. Hongjoong turned away, shaking his head. He looked back at the wall that they had been staring at for the last hours while San had made his essential plan.</p><p>"Whatever you expect, it won't happen," Hongjoong warned him once more for safety's sake. San just waved him away scornfully.</p><p>"That's none of my business."</p><p>"You two should ask Yunho for help," a new voice said from the door. Hongjoong whipped around smiling to Mingi, ignoring the stabbing pain from a cut in his leg.</p><p>"You heard us?"</p><p>Mingi shoved his hands into his pockets and came closer. He nodded back at San and returned Hongjoong’s smile.</p><p>"Not everything, just how this idiot here presented you with things no human being would do, let alone you." He stepped up behind Hongjoong, and the human leaned back contentedly against his legs, grinning up at him.</p><p>"Well? Do you see me in the role?"</p><p>Mingi smiled mysteriously.</p><p>"Actually, I should try to stop you now, inconspicuously, right?"</p><p>Hongjoong sulked, didn't like that their first domestic mission was sabotaged by him.</p><p>"You shouldn't. But since you don't know the details, we might be able to fool you too, who knows?" He playfully stuck out his tongue. Mingi’s hands slid into his hair, gently massaging his scalp.</p><p>"I'm a strategist, remember? There is nothing I cannot see through," he arrogantly stated. Hongjoong just nodded with an exaggeratedly respectful sound.</p><p>"Of course, O great Hachiman, I should never have questioned your abilities. Please forgive my sin."</p><p>Mingi laughed and then transferred his right hand to San's head. He pushed it through the other's hair brotherly.</p><p>"You are forgiven," he grinned amusedly, and San just gave him an annoyed look, but at least he didn't chop his hand off. Mingi turned to Hongjoong again, smiling, when San just silently left the room.</p><p>"Let's take you to Yunho, huh?" He suggested warmly, and Hongjoong let him help him up on his feet, then automatically bent a little towards the protesting wound on his thigh. It was deeper than he thought.</p><p>"I really can't leave you alone... One day someone will die, and I'm not sure if it will be you."</p><p>Hongjoong smiled proudly at him before he stood up again, meeting his eyes.</p><p>"Of course, it wouldn't be me. I've already done that," he said in all seriousness, trying to look like Seonghwa. Mingi snorted amusedly before he carefully grabbed Hongjoong’s hand and dragged him along with him. They were walking through the walls so Hongjoong wouldn't have to run up the stairs.</p><p>Yunho healed him with a low humming sound, was only satisfied when all the wounds had closed without scarring. Then sent him off to play with Yeosang, complaining about the angel's all-day singing exercises today.</p><p>Jongho had work to do and could not keep their poor siren busy.</p><p>A few minutes later, Hongjoong let himself fall on the angel’s in a good mood and, to be honest, a bit excited.</p><p>"You wouldn't believe what Seonghwa told us today," he started in full gossip mode. Yeosang immediately crawled curiously over to him. He commenced to braid Hongjoong’s hair and tie it into elaborate fringes because it seemed to help him concentrate.</p><p>"Tell me everything," Yeosang just grinned, and Hongjoong began.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Mission of Seducing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The plan was relatively simple.</p><p>Hongjoong would dress up as one of Seonghwa’s beloved kajis, and as soon as Seonghwa was distracted and drunk, Hongjoong would sneak into his bedroom and give him an extra sleeping pill. As soon as the oni was intoxicated enough, Hongjoong would grab his kanebo and head off.</p><p>It sounded more accessible than it was.</p><p>That's why he asked Yunho for help, relying on kitsune's illusionistic abilities to smuggle him into Seonghwa's vicinity without the oni recognising him. In general, the oni had seemed quite confident that nothing would happen. If someone were to attack Seonghwa, he would not be seriously vulnerable.</p><p>All the better for Hongjoong.</p><p>Yunho, of course, knew very well how to paralyze an oni and told Hongjoong at least ten ways to give the man sweet dreams within a few seconds. He also assured him that yes, his illusions were powerful enough to deceive even Seonghwa.</p><p>It seemed that Seonghwa's vision depended on his third eye, which was always closed when he didn't feel threatened and which didn't open just because the kajis appeared.</p><p>It was the perfect plan.</p><p>Even though Hongjoong had initially been in favour of San dressing up as the woman had Seonghwa not surely noticed his tell-tale behaviour.</p><p>So, Hongjoong asked Yunho for help with everything concerning their tricks. He asked Mingi's help in acting and understanding the situation.</p><p>Mingi had resolutely sat him down on his bed and explained the situation as well as possible.</p><p>"He will probably sit at the table with all the women around him. They don't push, they share, but often enough, he chooses only one or two women to take with him and leaves the others to either party or me.” The army commander actually managed to blush a little but played it down successfully.</p><p>Hongjoong made mental notes.</p><p>"So, you have to be careful with what you do and say but look interesting enough that he invites you to his place. From then on, it is not difficult anymore. You stall him until he falls asleep and take the kanebo, then you go, and that's it," he also made it sound so easy. He leaned back next to Hongjoong in a relaxed manner, steadying his body with his hands.</p><p>"The kajis do different things to get his attention. Their favourite trick is to come into the room first and pour the sake all the time; then, you spend a lot of time around him. Others try to make themselves look more attractive sexually.”</p><p>Mingi looked thoughtful for a moment, considering his words.</p><p>"In principle, he would notice you if you weren't as eager as the others. But that would probably make you look more suspicious as well." He doubtfully pulled his brows together.</p><p>"How good are you at kissing?" The question then came out of nowhere. Hongjoong just stared at him in perplexity. He had indeed already had such missions before, even missions where he had to seduce his victims first, but from Mingi, the suggestion seemed strange.</p><p>"Good enough to stun a human. But an oni...?"</p><p>Mingi again looked lost in thought in planes that Hongjoong’s eyes could not see, then he let his gaze fall to the carpet.</p><p>"I'm in the room, too, but Seonghwa would never take someone I already chose for the evening... Maybe I can get him to notice you?"</p><p>Coquettishly, Hongjoong leaned closer to him, fixing his eyes on his.</p><p>"And how?" He inquired darkly, catching Mingi’s gaze as he looked at him with a grin.</p><p>"I just have to do something that makes our hero in shining armour want to protect you. Don't worry; he won't hurt you." Mingi’s hand came gently up to his cheek, caressing him while Hongjoong closed his eyes for a moment with satisfaction.</p><p>"I do hope so. I've already lost more guts in this room than I care to." Unwillingly, he opened his eyes again and saw Mingi grimace before he let go of him, worried about awakening unpleasant memories.</p><p>"Alcohol will flow. You will smoke. It might even happen that Seonghwa’s women will partially undress in public. Are you sure you want to do this?"</p><p>Really nothing Hongjoong couldn't live with, except that it wasn't usually Seonghwa who was the problem here. On the other hand, he had been confronted with some enjoyable and human aspects of the oni a few times now. He would probably even manage not to run away from him, screaming as soon as he reached out his hands to Hongjoong.</p><p>Which would probably give him away as well.</p><p>"Actually, I'm all for sending San in there, but then Seonghwa will probably end up with a slit throat, and that's not our goal after all," he thought it over sharply, and Mingi laughed.</p><p>"I think he would lose fingers first if he tried to take San’s clothes off. As well camouflaged as he would be...," he continued. Hongjoong jumped up from his big bed, motivated, to hurry to his closet and imagine one of the white kimonos with red patterns he had seen on the kajis.</p><p>Shortly after, he looked down at the garment in a disparaging manner. He could pull that off.</p><p>Mingi joined him to take the fabric between his fingers and then nod contentedly.</p><p>"That should be enough. If you want, I'll stay up there until you come out of the room with the weapon. However, most of the time, I retreat a long time before him..."</p><p>Hongjoong shook his head resolutely, letting his fingers slide over the silk beneath them. </p><p>"No need, we won't do anything to give ourselves away. You help enough by stirring things up a little," he immediately rejected the idea again. Mingi nodded, looking alerted nonetheless.</p><p>"I'll definitely keep an ear on what happens. If something's wrong, I'll be right there," he stubbornly promised Hongjoong. The human let the cloth sink, moved, to take a tiny step towards him and give him a careful kiss on the corner of his mouth.</p><p>"Thank you. I appreciate that you take care of me every time," he murmured against Mingi’s lips without pulling back. He hardly blinked, then he was already in the man’s arms, pressed tightly against him, and he kissed all his worries from his lips.</p><p>The silk slipped unnoticed to the floor elegantly and waited for its moment.</p><p>-</p><p>Hongjoong would not have recognised himself, and he assumed to know himself for a few years longer than Seonghwa did.</p><p>That's why he was quite confident with his appearance, which wasn't too different from the other kajis, his face and body had adapted, his clothes fit, and according to Mingi, he held the elegant pipe in his hand just like they always did. Yunho had done a great job.</p><p>San even blinked at him, confused at first until he seemed to remember the plan and came closer satisfied. Yunho was proud of his work, and they decided to give Jongho a test run because the man had just returned from his job and had no idea about their little play.</p><p>So, when Hongjoong strutted into the dining room where the unsuspecting reaper was sitting lonely and eating peacefully, the man didn't even notice him at first. He only looked up when no one addressed him.</p><p>And when he saw Hongjoong, his eyes became big.</p><p>"Oh, you... You are on the wrong floor! Um... I don't know exactly where Hwa, Seog- where Lord Yama is right now, but he's not here, so-!" He broke off as Hongjoong walked over to him with a mysterious smile. He took Jongho’s chin between his long fingers, gently making him look up at him.</p><p>Jongho was speechless, his eyes wide in his childlike and innocent face.</p><p>"You just looked so lonely... I thought I'd keep you company," Hongjoong whispered with shiny red lips. Jongho swallowed as his attention immediately fell on Hongjoong mouth. He was noticeably struggling to stop himself from shooting forward.</p><p>That was the moment Mingi entered the room; the test-run was successful.</p><p>"Ah, you got lost, milady? Thank you, Jongho, for looking after her," the god stepped towards them, smiling. He let his eyes glide down contentedly to Hongjoong and then offered him his arm.</p><p>"Shall we return to the festivities? This one is well served." Mingi grinned at Jongho, and he blushed in four different shades before he turned back to his food, very busy. Mingi led Hongjoong out of the room with deliberate steps - he was very unused to wearing a kimono -, and laughingly, Hongjoong hit him outside.</p><p>"Perfect. Let someone try to explain once more that Jongho is the brains in here," he giggled devilishly to himself. Mingi just smiled, but then Hongjoong already made a new observation.</p><p>"Just a moment. What if you lose sight of me?" After all, he looked like any other of them.</p><p>Mingi began to lead him through the walls, chatting.</p><p>"That's not gonna happen. I smell you," he assured him his somewhat strange fact completely nonchalantly and then patted Hongjoong’s hand on his arm.</p><p>"Don't worry. Even if you get caught, he won't hurt you. That's why we're rehearsing this."</p><p>Hongjoong followed Mingi very motivated and burning with eagerness up to Seonghwa's chambers, where the rest of the kajis had probably already gathered. It happened again and again that one of them went on a wandering trip.</p><p>As they entered, Seonghwa's full, deep laughter filled the room, accompanied by the soft voices of the women. They entered his red-lit room, and Hongjoong’s gaze travelled briefly over Seonghwa himself, who was leaning back on his elbows. Five women were swarming around him, some of them draped across him.</p><p>One of them lay with her head on his thigh and drew small circles over his hip bone with her index finger. He wore only his white pants again; the coat neglected somewhere in a corner.</p><p>A second one leaned with her chin on his shoulder and murmured softly at his ear. It was private conversations he listened to while mysteriously smiling and lifting his cup to his lips.</p><p>The third was in his left arm and regularly handed him the pipe over so that he could let the smoke glide warmly over his skin.</p><p>The fourth was furthest away from him and regularly poured sake for him, occasionally receiving a grateful glance.</p><p>The last one practically had him in her lap. She stroked his hair and face in a picture of full serenity and resolution, holding his head on her ample chest.</p><p>Mingi searched for Hongjoong’s gaze, observing whether he reacted negatively. Hongjoong, however, was entirely in his mask and didn't let his thoughts show. He even kept himself from coughing demonstratively at all the smoke.</p><p>Instead, he just followed Mingi into the almost cuddly room and immediately made friends with the little bonsai in the middle of the table.</p><p>"Did another one get away? Who has she found," Seonghwa's voice came over throaty. Mingi let his arm slide protectively around Hongjoong’s hip, guiding him gently but surely further into the room.</p><p>"Oh, this one is quite new; she has never been here before. She was indeed lost but was warmly welcomed by San," Mingi informed the other with a somewhat forced smile. Hongjoong kept his head down, pretending to be suffering.</p><p>Seonghwa made a sullen sound.</p><p>"Tzz, he always scares the people off. Come here, beauty. You two go and keep my lovely commander company for a while." He shooed the sake woman and the whisperer away, and they did not show their disappointment. Instead, they were right at letting their hands slide seductively over Mingi's chest and arms, while the man tried hard not to look worried all the time. Hongjoong now stepped intimidated towards Seonghwa.</p><p>The kajis didn't pay any attention to him, devoting all their senses to the clearly deceived Seonghwa. Hongjoong sank elegantly to the ground beside him, making sure that neither his legs nor more chest flashed.</p><p>The fingers of the caressing woman glided sensuously over Seonghwa’s one earring. The soft red light and the sweetish smell of whatever they were smoking automatically made Hongjoong loosen up. He got immersed more quickly in the role than he was pretending.</p><p>"Are you alright? He also likes to be a bit rough on beautiful women." Hongjoong was almost flattered, but only almost. He would pass the compliment on to Yunho.</p><p>"I shouldn't have wandered, forgive me," was all he submissively put out, almost choking at the words. Still, they seemed to keep churning up Seonghwa, arousing his pity.</p><p>And it was fascinating that he had such a notion. Even though it seemed to be exclusively limited to the company in the tower.</p><p>"Ah, come here. I will make it better. You have nothing to fear with me."</p><p>His words gave Hongjoong the impression that San was probably capable of killing yokai, and it was a little unsettling.</p><p>Uncertain, he raised his head when Seonghwa's finger found his chin, lifting it without force.</p><p>Seonghwa took a deep pull from the pipe and then gently pulled Hongjoong closer before bowing his head. He pressed his lips firmly against Hongjoong’s, transferring the sweetish smoke. Warm, it filled his lungs, making his skin pleasantly tingly and the colours in the room a little more vibrant. Hongjoong returned the favour, sliding his lips against Seonghwa’s as he slowly exhaled into his mouth.</p><p>To his surprise, there was nothing vulgar about the whole gathering. It was more of an artful and sensual thing. It wasn’t an unbridled display of desire and with far less aggressive nudity than Hongjoong had expected.</p><p>Seonghwa's mouth was so warm. His hand on Hongjoong’s chin was exactly the hot temperature he remembered it to be, and Yeosang's theory was no longer hampered by lack of evidence.</p><p>Hongjoong didn't know how to feel, here, in the same room with Mingi, while Seonghwa's lips lay on his, a loose strand of his slicked-back hair tickling Hongjoong’s cheek.</p><p>It was somewhat intoxicating, the feeling more than the smoke. Even though he was the oni he was, even though he was a mostly cold and deadly man. Hongjoong understood why the kajis flocked around him for his body, enjoying his warm skin under her fingertips and tasting his lazy kissing lips.</p><p>Hongjoong didn't know how much time had passed until Mingi interrupted them, but it was quite possible to get lost in Seonghwa’s kisses, to forget all surroundings.</p><p>When Hongjoong opened his eyes, their positions had changed. Seonghwa had moved away from the caressing woman to bend closer over Hongjoong. He seemed to have lost himself for a moment as well. There were now three kajis less in the room, smoker, couch-woman and whisperer had left them.</p><p>Of course, Hongjoong didn't know what the dynamics here were, whether some women were simply looking for less, or whether they were bound by time. In any case, Mingi and Hongjoong together had managed to focus Seonghwa only on him, while the petting woman had joined Mingi bored.</p><p>It was a good situation, but in the end, it was probably up to Seonghwa to decide how to proceed.</p><p>Mingi, who pointed out the excellent sake to Seonghwa, was the one who interrupted them. He seemed to be very motivated to keep his two kajis and nodded at Hongjoong to hand Seonghwa the cup he had already prepared.</p><p>Right, the sleeping pill.</p><p>Somewhat intoxicated by the smoke and Seonghwa's warm presence by his side, Hongjoong did as he was told and handed Seonghwa the cup. He accepted it with glassy eyes, his heavily tattooed arm now in sharp contrast to Hongjoong’s white kimono, while Seonghwa trustingly pulled him closer into his body.</p><p>Hongjoong gave in to the urge to touch his tattoos - at least he had every excuse to do so - and let his fingers glide further down over dark scales on Seonghwa’s chest and the grimace of an oni. His arms were lined with flowers and more scales, the dark ink fascinating in his warm skin.</p><p>Hongjoong heard a door close. Mingi trusted that he could go on alone from here on. Hongjoong calmed his mind, focusing entirely on his mission. </p><p>Seonghwa put his cup down to watch him from heavy eyes. After a moment, Hongjoong let his hand drop meekly. He didn’t know if Seonghwa liked to be touched like that all the time.</p><p>"Do you feel better when the others are gone?" Seonghwa inquired quietly and pulled Hongjoong up to his lap with a strong arm. Now, he was enthroned sideways on Seonghwa’ thighs, admonishing his body not to react.</p><p>Hongjoong nodded shyly as he looked around the room briefly. He pretended he didn't notice that they had left.</p><p>"Yes... Like this, I have you all to himself." Hongjoong forced himself once more not to cringe, but it felt different. The dark lakes that Seonghwa’s eyes were were inviting instead of swallowing. It could have been the smoke, but for the first time, Hongjoong saw him merely as an incredibly attractive man, not as the scary beauty he had met him as.</p><p>Seonghwa grinned lazily at him. It was a soft grin, not his bright smile, but also not the cynical-hard expression from usual. Just a relaxed grin.</p><p>His right hand slid down Hongjoong’s legs, warm on his bare skin. He was leaving goosebumps as Hongjoong reacted, amusing both of them with it.</p><p>Seonghwa lifted Hongjoong’s right leg from where it rested at his side and stretched it long before slowly raising it. He placed it on his shoulder to spread gentle kisses over his skin, biting here and there without breaking the surface. Their eyes never ceased contact.</p><p>Hongjoong tried to concentrate, not to respond to the longing of his body, because his head was still aware that this was Seonghwa. Yet, the task got increasingly harder.</p><p>A few kisses later, Seonghwa dipped under his leg to put it on his other side, having him now completely on his lap.</p><p>Hongjoong blushed, feeling each of his curves pressing against him. Seonghwa grabbed his hips tightly to pull him closer before his lips lay on Hongjoong’s again, this time accompanied by a long tongue that lazily touched his, asking him to play.</p><p>Shuddering, Hongjoong grabbed his shoulders, clinging to him to satisfy the desire to bewitch him as much as possible with his kisses and to disorientate him.</p><p>Seonghwa moved slowly as if he didn't want to hurt him, as he pushed him down onto the low table. His body was warm and supple against Hongjoong’s, while Seonghwa kissed deeper and deeper, pulling him down into a whirlpool of desire and heat.</p><p>The human threatened to drown.</p><p>When he withdrew after an indefinite period of time, it was almost as if a part of Hongjoong was missing. Seonghwa’s tongue indeed made an interesting friend.</p><p>Seonghwa looked down at him with lidded eyes. Their body centres were still separated only by a few pieces of cloth. They yearned after the other, and Hongjoong was already barely coherent. He was trapped between sweet waves of longing and warmth, Seonghwa's body being so inviting and tangible.</p><p>"Hongjoong...", his name glided over Seonghwa’s lips like a gentle caress. It took on a whole new meaning. Hongjoong was not surprised, not even thinking about the mission, but just watching him undisturbed. He saw Seonghwa swallow as he bent over him again, placing his elbows to the left and right of Hongjoong’s head. His breath brushed hot against his collarbone, making the fragile human shiver.</p><p>"You can stay, but you risk your body... I will let it pass. You have done a great job. Or you can flee, hide under your blankets, and tremble a little bit more in desire for me, but next time you have to make it..."</p><p>Hongjoong weighed his chances. He considered the time that the poison would take to kick in, ignoring his body's screams to give in and just enjoy it.</p><p>He made his decision.</p><p>Hongjoong’s fingers slipped up Seonghwa’s nape and pulled the now clearly surprised oni back down to him. He rejoined their lips, and he sighed in Seonghwa’s mouth with relief as the tongue came right back, sliding into his mouth in just the right movements.</p><p>Seonghwa’s fingers found his hips and pulled him towards his warm, muscular body. Hongjoong stretched out his arm, overwhelmed, to hold on to something and felt a hard object under his fingers.</p><p>Without thinking twice, he reached out and brutally hit Seonghwa in the head with it.</p><p>He twisted away when the man collapsed onto him, knocked out by poison and a- was that a brick?</p><p>Hongjoong dropped the brick and gently felt over the oni's head. When found no blood he slowly lifted himself up, pulling Seonghwa’s limp body with him.</p><p>It was the sign that he was really gone, that his face had returned to its original state. Hongjoong stared at him briefly full of wonder. Even now, he could not find him completely terrifying since he had learned about his daughter.</p><p>Hongjoong managed to drag him into his room and gently lower him onto the bed before he grabbed his kanebo from a corner and left.</p><p>Mission accomplished.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Here Comes Trouble</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the incident, Hongjoong had rushed from Seonghwa's floor back to his, and past a very confused Jongho into his room. There he threw the heavy kanebo under his bed and then hurriedly slipped out of his kimono to jump into the shower, washing away Yunho's illusion and also the feeling of Seonghwa's lips on his skin. With the fresh air and the cold of the water came the realisation, the frightening understanding, that no, he was not disgusted. He also accepted his confession that the oni was perhaps slowly getting no longer as repulsive as he had been at the beginning.</p><p>The thought was strange and disturbed Hongjoong quite a bit because he couldn’t understand himself. So, he decided to ask Mingi for advice, but for now, he would consult Yunho and San about the mission. He hurriedly slipped into one of his cuddly fluffy jumpsuits that took up the entire left half of his closet and left the kanebo where it was before he hurriedly opened his door to rush outside.</p><p>The plan didn't go as planned because the next moment, he saw himself eye to eye with their dearest oni. Blood was dripping from his forehead across his face, only to fall from his chin onto his chest, leaving red stains on his white pants.</p><p>Hongjoong’s scream was probably still audible two floors down.</p><p>Seonghwa was with him immediately and pushed him back into his room by his upper arms. Hongjoong could hear another panicky 'Hongjoong?!' from Yeosang outside, then his lock clicked. He was alone in a locked room with an oni who was still not fully dressed and had just slipped Hongjoong’s key into his pocket.</p><p>Yeosang was hammering wildly on the door while he still held Seonghwa's gaze in shock. The demon’s blood was now dripping on his floor, not visible on the cold obsidian.</p><p>"Hongjoong! Are you okay?! What's the matter?!" Yeosang exclaimed anxiously from outside and then explained the situation a little more quietly but no less worriedly to Yunho, who joined in.</p><p>"I-I am okay! Just slipped," Hongjoong hurried to say. Seonghwa continued staring at the bottom of his soul.</p><p>"Are you sure?! Do you need a doct- a Yunho?" Yeosang continued. Hongjoong praised himself not to flinch as Seonghwa reached for him. He easily grabbed him by the hips to pull him towards him and buried his face in his throat, suddenly letting his cold nose slide over Hongjoong’s skin.</p><p>A shiver made the human’s body tremble violently, and he forced himself to keep still so as not to get those teeth into his throat again.</p><p>"M-" his voice broke, and he cursed himself as a meaningful silence followed in which Seonghwa's larger figure towered over his and he frantically swallowed. Seonghwa grinned at his skin as he reattached while Hongjoong was trying to dam the increasingly anxious energy outside the door.</p><p>"I am fine! Thanks but don't worry. Just go to sleep," he kind of croaked. His hands flew up to keep Seonghwa at a distance by his shoulders as he took a step in his direction, forcing Hongjoong to stumble backwards.</p><p>Hongjoong wanted to feel the urge to tell him to stay away but let him control him instead as he pushed him back to the bed and sat him down firmly.</p><p>Like a deer in the spotlight, he stared at Seonghwa as he stood over him, bloodied and menacing like the fearsome God he was. Then Hongjoong turned his gaze uncertainly back to the door behind which the boys had not yet left, now three of them whispering among themselves. His eye twitched again to Seonghwa, who was just waiting. Once again, Hongjoong gathered his voice, searching for words for a moment longer than usual.</p><p>"Really, all is well! We'll talk tomorrow."</p><p>Now he heard some reluctant good night wishes; then they left grumbling. With an embarrassed smile, Hongjoong turned to Seonghwa, carefully searching his empty face for emotion and found only blood.</p><p>"Can I help you?" He asked cautiously, not forcing himself to speak too loudly, should Yeosang overhear. The left corner of Seonghwa’s mouth twitched upwards; then he suddenly fell to his knees.</p><p>At first, Hongjoong thought it was a fainting spell and reached out for him in shock. However, Seonghwa just grabbed his wrists tightly in one hand and with the other one he reached under the bed. His dark eyes never left Hongjoong’s.</p><p>The kanebo, which Hongjoong had previously dragged down the stairs with difficulty, lay loose in Seonghwa’s palm. It was shining evil in the light of his little bedside lamp.</p><p>"That was a refreshing response to a fairly fair offer from my side. Not many women have attacked me with a flowerpot yet," Seonghwa said amusedly. His voice was deep, and it really didn't seem to interest him that blood was dripping everywhere.</p><p>Hongjoong gave him a nervous smile.</p><p>"I am glad to have broadened your horizon. How does it affect our mission?"</p><p>It wasn't the most comfortable position to sit here while Seonghwa was kneeling in front of him and still had full control over him. His hand was warm around Hongjoong’s wrists, and yet he had a weapon in his hand with which he could kill Hongjoong with one stroke.</p><p>Not that he couldn't do the same even without the mace.</p><p>Hongjoong nervously rubbed his feet together.</p><p>"A good question. You passed, after all, but I recognised you. But the right mission doesn't go against someone like me either."</p><p>Whatever that meant. No god? No oni? No man?</p><p>Seonghwa put the kanebo down to Hongjoong’s great relief. He leant it against his bed to make it more comfortable to turn to Hongjoong. He also loosened his hard grip a little.</p><p>"The flowerpot thing was pretty brave. In general, you were so calm that I almost didn't notice it was you if it wasn't for Mingi's concern. At least now I know that I shouldn't take him with us when we go to work," he analysed the event, and hey, at least it wasn't Hongjoong’s fault for being blown up.</p><p>On the other hand, Seonghwa had known for longer than he had let on and still was that... physical. What a refreshing realisation that the oni also showed open interest in Hongjoong. It flattered him.</p><p>Seonghwa seemed to be able to read these thoughts directly in his face and just smiled mysteriously. Afterwards, he let go of Hongjoong completely and stood up again. He pushed his hand through his hair, lost in thought and smeared everything with blood.</p><p>"I think you passed. Your acting was much better than I expected."</p><p>"Excuse me, but are you aware that you are bleeding?" Hongjoong asked before he thought twice. Immediately, he cringed inwardly at the question. Seonghwa just looked at him, confused.</p><p>"Do I?"</p><p>He wiped his face and then stared at his hand in confusion until it slowly seemed to dawn on him.</p><p>"Ah. I fell into my glass when you struck at me. It is not my blood." With an instant cruel grin, he raised his hand to his mouth and licked his fingers without breaking their gaze. Hongjoong didn't know exactly what to do with himself.</p><p>"See you tomorrow morning at the library. I will explain everything to you. Bring San with you."</p><p>With that, he grabbed his kanebo and left, leaving Hongjoong full of new questions.</p><p>First of all, why he was locked up again, and the key was somewhere else.</p><p>-</p><p>Yunho freed him from his room the next day laughing, and Yeosang's eyes followed him anxiously for a while until Hongjoong walked with San to Seonghwa in the library as promised. The otherwise expressionless hones gave San a scowling look as they passed by and the sin returned the favour with a scornful smile, then entered the book-lined room behind Hongjoong.</p><p>Seonghwa was sitting with Mingi in a small alcove as they found them. Mingi looked up in relief when he saw Hongjoong, only to pull him onto his lap as soon as he got close enough. Seonghwa watched the gesture without a reaction, then cast an amused glance at San and tapped invitingly on his thigh. Today, he was dressed in a rare black leather.</p><p>The mortal sin raised an eyebrow sceptically, but the grin on his lips spoke volumes, challenging Seonghwa.</p><p>Hongjoong watched the exchange with tension from his safe point, warm in Mingi's arm, while the man poured him tea.</p><p>To his boundless surprise, however, San actually approached Seonghwa and sat down on the other man's sturdy thigh, resting his elbows on the small table between us.</p><p>Seonghwa's gaze glided benevolently down the other man's back; then he put one hand on San's hip to stabilise him. He winked cheekily at Hongjoong before reflecting Mingi's gesture and pouring tea.</p><p>"Have you two spoken yet? About the mission," Mingi calmly asked them and looked from Hongjoong to San. The human shook his head while San sipped his tea with narrow eyes.</p><p>Seonghwa grabbed the windowsill next to him where a stack of papers was lying and laid them on the table next to us, a heavy ring flashing on his middle finger.</p><p>"These are the data on a group of thieves in Korea. This is not a pure food mission, but a real crime ring. With injustice, corruption and violence," Mingi explained the papers, while Seonghwa absently circled his thumb over San's hip, staring into an undefined distance.</p><p>"What are we going to do?"</p><p>Now Seonghwa came back to life and turned his bottomless gaze to Hongjoong. His familiar, cruel smile was playing around his lips.</p><p>"We'll just scare them a little. You will show them that even in death, you are still the better thief," he said ominously, leaning back contentedly. "You and San are going to rough up the place a bit. As soon as the poor fools are desperate enough, I will give them a quick death."</p><p>Mingi nodded slowly.</p><p>"We will give you some yokai for that. You will just spread some psychological terror among them. Think of yourself as some kind of avenging angel, Hongjoong," he played amusedly with his words before leaning close to him to push one of the papers over to San.</p><p>"This woman is your target, San. She is a yokai, so kill her however you want," he said coldly, but his chest was warm against Hongjoong’s back, contrasting with his words.</p><p>Hongjoong sipped his tea. While he was at it, he met Seonghwa's gaze, which lay calculatingly on him, then glanced towards Mingi.</p><p>"You don't mind sending these two together?" He wondered inquiringly. The battle master merely raised his shoulders. "Nobody else would be appropriate for a group of thieves. Besides, it's only fair to finally allow Sannie not to be tied by the same bonds as you," Mingi observed shrewdly and then put his arms around Hongjoong’s form again. The human relaxed and let himself sink against his stable chest.</p><p>"Hongjoong, if San kills you there - and you can die again by the way - that's it. I won't be able to save you either. Be aware of that in his vicinity," Seonghwa warned him in conclusion and then lifted San from him to leave them alone.</p><p>"Look over the notes and come and see me if you have any questions," Mingi also said good-bye for now and pressed a small kiss hidden against Hongjoong’s cheek before he, too, left.</p><p>The two probably hadn't even disappeared through the door to the outside; then San already had Hongjoong with his back against the wall of the already narrow niche, his knife cold against his throat.</p><p>Only this time San’s nose was also pressed against his collar, and he grinned madly while inhaling his scent.</p><p>"I should have known. You smell so much like a dog; you could be one yourself," he chuckled darkly. His nose was cold against Hongjoong’s collarbone, and the lashes of his lowered eyelids fanned over his protruding cheekbones.</p><p>"Do you mind?" Hongjoong asked carefully around the blade, trying not to strain his neck. He kept his hands calmly by his sides, not wanting to give San any reason to hurt him.</p><p>After all, it was not a good idea on Seonghwa's floor.</p><p>"Not like that. It's just that it's Seonghwa's bite marks across your neck, but you smell like Mingi... Aren't you playing with fire a bit too much, dear?" He whispered so deceptively softly at Hongjoong’s ear, and wow, he didn't even know he had Seonghwa's bite marks on him. On the other hand, he hadn't injured himself at that time, so he hadn’t gone to Yunho.</p><p>"It is reckless to play with Seonghwa. Especially as a human being. But Mingi? A different calibre." His voice almost sounded like a warning, as if he was trying to tell Hongjoong something important, but there was nothing. Just San being a psychopath.</p><p>"The thing with Seonghwa was only for our mission. You don't have to worry."</p><p>The steel cut deep into Hongjoong’s flesh, making him afraid reflexively to swallow and make it worse.</p><p>"I'm not worrying. It's your own fault if he rips you apart."</p><p>San raised his head until his face was inches from Hongjoong’s. He stared at him with cold, black eyes; not meeting his face, but rather looking through it, as if he didn't see the human.</p><p>Hongjoong panicked under his blade, never getting used to having it in his throat. He was just about to trash and probably get himself killed when someone grabbed San by the neck. The sin was ripped roughly away from Hongjoong before anybody could blink.</p><p>Immediately, Hongjoong frantically reached for his throat, trying to stop the blood flow. However, it was just Mingi staring punitively down at San who, as an instinctive response, had roughly rammed his knife into the god’s arm. It was a fact that didn't seem to interest Mingi in the least.</p><p>"Hands off. I should have made it clear enough by now that you should stay away from him," the god threatened the sin sharply and in an alarmingly quiet tone that only made San's face darken.</p><p>"We'll talk about it again when he writhes in pain and lust beneath me as soon as you guys are no longer there to save him."</p><p>Mingi was faster than San could react.</p><p>Before he knew it, he had jerked San's knife out of his wound and stabbed mortal sin in the right eye, causing the man to stagger backwards with a surprised cry of pain.</p><p>Shocked, Hongjoong watched as the man covered the wounded eye with his hands, while the other eye, now splashed with blood and filled with murderous intentions fell on Mingi. His gaze was leaving no doubt about the preferences of the sin.</p><p>Mingi immediately pushed Hongjoong carelessly behind him and confronted San with his head held high. Hongjoong was still staring with a morbid fascination at the dagger in the pretty face of the sin.</p><p>"Know your place. You are temporary, one of many. My existence is eternal," hissed San between clenched and bloodstained teeth, refusing to give in. Hongjoong was impressed, clearly not yet fully understanding the power dynamic in here.</p><p>Mingi watched the man carefully, making no move to attack again, but not to leave either.</p><p>"You will keep your hands off him," he growled at the sin in a voice deeper than usual. It carried a demonic overtone that left a bad taste in Hongjoong’s mouth.</p><p>He wanted to get away from there, but he couldn't make a move.</p><p>"We will see, dog. Whether it won't be your own iniquity that finally rips his heart out of his chest."</p><p>He left them alone with that.</p><p>Hongjoong shook with adrenaline and fear for a while.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Mission Yokai</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mingi had been kind enough to get Hongjoong’s room key back from Seonghwa while the human had wandered to Yunho to be healed. This time it was Jongho who sat with the kitsune in the room when he entered, and immediately they both burst into loud protests and worries as he tried to play down his injury.</p><p>"And that in Bbang's floors! That could have been fatal! He's so careless," Jongho furiously said. Yunho sat worriedly with his neutral face, but he did his duties quietly.</p><p>"After all, he doesn't seem as if he wants to attack you.”</p><p>At the same time, they looked up at Yeosang who was leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed, watching them with a closed-off expression. The angel's silvery-blond hair was a bit wild, and he looked paler than usual, but he seemed fine.</p><p>"Who? San namely not," Jongho fired back hard, and with a sigh, the angel pushed his hand through his poor hair before coming closer.</p><p>"Not San, Seonghwa. If Mingi came running because he smelled your blood, then Seonghwa knew about it before. He is trying hard."</p><p>Hongjoong raised his shoulders at a loss.</p><p>"Maybe he just doesn't like me." Which was understandable. </p><p>Or if you argued like San, he smelled too much like a dog to him.</p><p>"Anyway, the fact is that I will have to go on a mission alone with San and it probably won't be fun," he felt a little sorry for himself, and Yunho patted his arm reassuringly. "Even if he cannot die, he can suffer. He would not be so reckless."</p><p>Hongjoong hoped so.</p><p>-</p><p>On the day they left, Hongjoong stood in front of his closet for ages trying to decide what to wear. His normal thief gear would be perfect after all, but maybe too thin in the face of the cold weather. But the cuddly cow onesie would probably be too conspicuous.</p><p>It was not an easy decision.</p><p>Even the careful knocking on his door did not distract him from his fashion problems.</p><p>"Come in," he said absently and then pushed some clothes aside, looking sceptically down at a warmer sweater, which would, however, restrict his freedom of movement. He looked from it disparagingly at his thievingly dressed form, wondering whether he should change the whole thing.</p><p>While his eyes were still moving back and forth, warm hands glided around his hips on both sides, soothing his nervousness a little.</p><p>The suspense added to the situation. The ignorance of what San was up to as soon as they were out here.</p><p>"Take an extra weapon belt with you. If necessary, you can always cut off San's hands," Mingi muttered humorously behind him. Hongjoong turned to him with a sigh, briefly studying his flawless face.</p><p>"A good idea, I just don't know if I could hit his eye," he replied with a grin and Mingi pulled him closer to put his arms completely around his hips.</p><p>"I'm sorry you had to see that. I didn't think about it at the time," he apologised somewhat sheepishly, and Hongjoong had to laugh, even getting an apology from him for something like that.</p><p>"This is absolutely no problem. With San, I've gotten quite used to it."</p><p>Mingi looked relieved, but then his face immediately darkened again.</p><p>"By the way, I mean it seriously. If he tries to put even one finger on you... San doesn't need his hands that badly.”</p><p>Hongjoong had to smile again and was touched by Mingi’s concern for him.</p><p>"Don't worry, I'll fix it." Hongjoong’s fingers found the god’s upper arms to use for stabilisation when he stretched a bit to press a chaste kiss to his lips.</p><p>Mingi followed him hungrily as he leaned back again, finding him heatedly with his mouth Hongjoong’s tension melted away as he carelessly let himself sink into his arms. They spent the next ten minutes only trying to forget the world instead of taking care of his serious fashion problems.</p><p>After these ten minutes, however - and he would have loved to have continued to lose himself in his mouth - they were interrupted by a cough by the door.</p><p>Hongjoong was relatively sure that he should have heard the door open, but he was distracted, he wasn't at fault.</p><p>Meanwhile, they were leaning against the side of the closet, one of Mingi's hands behind his head so he wouldn't hurt himself on the hard wood. The other hand was on his hip while Hongjoong’s arms were resting on his broad shoulders.</p><p>He had no idea when that had happened.</p><p>Anyway, Mingi took his reddened lips from his and turned to the disturbance at the door without stepping out of Hongjoong’s sight or even loosening his grip. The human briefly closed his eyes and scolded his dead heart to make such a fuss in his chest.</p><p>"It's time to go," he heard Seonghwa's deep voice say from the door. Unwillingly, Hongjoong licked Mingi's taste from his lips before taking his hands off the god, signalling him to step back.</p><p>He did just that, and Hongjoong glanced at Seonghwa's lewd look for a moment. Then he grabbed an extra gun belt that he had - in wise foresight since his failed mission - already armed and wrapped around his hips.</p><p>"Will you accompany us?" He inquired curiously from Seonghwa, who, dressed in fitting dress pants and a black shirt, actually looked halfway human. The oni nodded slowly from where he casually lumbered in the doorway.</p><p>"The guys know me, but I'm not allowed to kill anything on earth. So, I'll introduce himself, hand you over and disappear again."</p><p>Sounded like he gave his kids up for adoption, didn't it?</p><p>Nice.</p><p>Hongjoong just nodded and then followed the oni outside and down the stairs. Mingi accompanied them wordlessly.</p><p>Everyone was indeed gathered downstairs this time, only San looked different than usual, and Hongjoong was confused.</p><p>He now wore his hair in dark brown curls that gently framed his face in an innocent manner. He even was wearing suit and glasses, it looked kind of good, but somehow it also looked like he wanted to sell them an overpriced piece of land.</p><p>A confusing combination, but that's what it was all about.</p><p>Yeosang pulled Hongjoong into his arms again first. He cuddled him warm and soft, and if Hongjoong had his way, he would never let go of him, but sadly he didn’t have that option.</p><p>With his usual 'watch out for yourself', Yeosang stepped back and practically pushed Hongjoong over to Jongho. The reaper also hugged Hongjoong, though a bit less tight than Yeosang.</p><p>From him Hongjoong went to Yunho and then to Mingi, who held him a tick longer but said nothing. In the end, he released Hongjoong from his arms,f so that he could go on a mission with the two guys he wanted and should have the least to do with.</p><p>-</p><p>Hongjoong found himself in a twisted world.</p><p>Where he would normally hide behind anyone if he could only avoid Seonghwa for that, it was now Seonghwa that he depended on for protection from San.</p><p>It felt strange.</p><p>Anyway, they walked into a rather clichéd and run-down warehouse with Seonghwa. Their local oni even knocked politely on the dusty back door before going in, both hands raised in the air for good will.</p><p>"Ah, Mars, to what do we owe the honour?" He was promptly greeted by one of the men sitting in here in a thick cloud of cigarette smoke on moth-eaten sofas. Hongjoong relaxed again and stayed well-behaved to Seonghwa’s left.</p><p>"I only came here to offer you my congratulations. I respect a good job." Seonghwa grinned mockingly, and one of the guys laughed while Hongjoong was still looking around.</p><p>There were a total of 15 middle-aged men here, and they were all armed. He saw everything from pistols to baseball bats. Hongjoong could notice curious looks at him, but also at San. Still, they seemed to have respect for Seonghwa.</p><p>"And I see you brought them something too, huh?" The same man laughed and pushed the sunglasses off his rounded face to let his eyes slide over Hongjoong. He then looked sceptically at San, who scratched his foot over the floor restlessly, staring at the ground.</p><p>Ah, got it. The victim role.</p><p>"Right, I would like to give you these two here, but I demand 25% of the profit for them. They are my elite." Seonghwa’s hand squeezed Hongjoong’s shoulder encouragingly. The human looked coldly over his mask at the men who had now become more attention. Several more of them were interrupting their conversations to turn to us.</p><p>"15%."</p><p>"20."</p><p>The man rose to shake Seonghwa's hand contentedly and then nodded his greeting. Hongjoong immediately took a determined step to his side, while San followed hesitantly.</p><p>"This here is Betzalel. He moves faster than any shadow, and his attacks are deadly. San here is more the man for caution, for planning and action."</p><p>Not.</p><p>Hongjoong had to grin, and Seonghwa's eyes told him he shared the sentiment. He spoke seriously, actually looking like a mafia boss with his dark eyes and sharp features.</p><p>"Don't underestimate them both, Jacques." Now a barely perceptible threat resonated in his voice, dropping the room temperature by a few degrees. The man with sunglasses - Jacques - just grinned casually.</p><p>"Don't worry, I remember your other friend too well, what was his name, Mingi? I don't underestimate your people, Mars."</p><p>The two nodded at each other manly, then Seonghwa's gaze glided to Hongjoong. The human nodded firmly as well; San was too busy grinning madly inside himself to notice Seonghwa's eyes on him. So, he left them alone with a bunch of strangers in a rundown warehouse. Hongjoong turned stiffly to the guy who was probably their new boss.</p><p>"Well, you two, I'm Jacques. I've worked with Mars before, and I'm very happy to have you both here," he said with an unpleasant grin and waved them over to their circle.</p><p>They were introduced to the circle, and Hongjoong didn't remember a single name except for Jacques'.</p><p>Hongjoong was taciturn and said no more than necessary. San, on the other side barely looked at the people and just nodded nervously, flinching every time one of the men at his side made a hand gesture.</p><p>He played very convincingly.</p><p>"We were just about to pass our time here. We are far from everyone. We will put you both up at Youjin's house, he is about your age."</p><p>It relieved Hongjoong that Mingi had probably made enough of an impression during his last visit here that they didn't do any funny things now. Yet there were still some faces in the crowd that he didn't trust in the slightest.</p><p>The men moved around slowly and gathered their things before they all left the warehouse together. Most of them scattered somewhere, but Jacques and another one stayed to accompany San and Hongjoong to their bikes.</p><p>"Okay, let's go, babe," the second guy grinned greasily at San, while he carefully climbed on the bike behind the brawny man. Hongjoong found a place behind Jacques.</p><p>San masked his creepy grin in the guy's shoulder. He didn't seem to have much control over his crazy expressions. Worried, Hongjoong clung on to Jacques' shoulders as he started the machine and they shot off over the dusty gravel road.</p><p> </p><p>The cold night wind whipped loudly around their ears, but they still managed to make some small talk as they drove through the nocturnal landscape. Seoul below them was shining in thousands of lights.</p><p>"Got a lover, kid? Don’t they mind you hanging out with the bad guys here?"</p><p>Now Hongjoong was the one hiding his grin behind his mask.</p><p>"I'm dating Mingi," he merely confessed briefly. A laugh vibrated through the large body of the man in front of me.</p><p>"Don't take it amiss, but that's exactly how you look. A little too crazy."</p><p>It was interesting to watch how Hongjoong was apparently recorded as the creepy one, while San seemed like the inexperienced idiot. Of course, he had more experience in human affairs than the sin did, but for Hongjoong, who knew about it, it was ridiculous.</p><p>It took them about half an hour to get to the run-down outskirts of the city and then another ten minutes on foot to Youjin's pad. Jacques knocked at his door at in a certain rhythm. He told them that this was the signal of him being a gang member and that they should remember it.</p><p>The man who opened the door seemed in fact only a few years older than Hongjoong and relatively small for a man. About as tall as San and dark-haired. He actually looked quite nice.</p><p>"This here is Youjin, the tech guy. Youjin this is Betzalel and San. Mars sent them."</p><p>Youjin's warm, brown eyes glided over them to the intimidated San and the shadow Hongjoong was acting as.</p><p>"Okay. Come on in," he didn't hesitate. Quick to adapt, he opened his door wide for them to enter his apartment, a warm, if somewhat impersonal home.</p><p>"I often put people up here, so you're lucky enough to have a spare bed. But just one, you'll have to share."</p><p>Which wouldn't be a problem in principle if it wasn't for San.</p><p>Maybe Hongjoong could build a nest on the floor in case of need. They followed Youjin through his home, shuffling in the narrow space.</p><p>"What is a Tennin doing here?" </p><p>Youjin looked up at Hongjoong attentively to scrutinise him sharply.</p><p>"And you are?"</p><p>"Yurei."</p><p>Hongjoong took off his mask and hood. He exposed himself to the warmth of the room and understanding flashed in Youjin's eyes.</p><p>"There are enough of them who live here. My race has nothing to do with his field of work," he explained casually. Hongjoong saw sharp canines flashing as he smiled somewhat.</p><p>"I don't have to worry about you if you understand how to follow orders. We will become good colleagues." Youjin carelessly threw one hand on San's shoulder, who flinched violently at the touch. Immediately Youjin's hand sank back down to his side.</p><p>"Good. I'm often not here and now have to leave again now to clarify your presence here. Please try to stay in here until I’m back. Only open the door to those who knock properly, but that should be clear.”</p><p>With that he grabbed a trench coat from a chair and waved at the duo, then he was gone.</p><p>San immediately raised his head and grinned at Hongjoong sinisterly.</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Sin of Greed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: Blood and Gore, Rape<br/>Read again at the arrow</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You better not hurt me. That will hinder the mission," Hongjoong admonished San sharply as the sin took a threatening step towards him. The other man was now free of all inhibitions, and his eyes gleamed with the inexhaustible greed he embodied. He had lost all sense for rules by now, and the shine in his eyes spoke of madness. Hongjoong wouldn’t get out of this unscathed.</p><p>"Oh, I'm not gonna kill you, dear." San’s scornful smile curled the corners of his mouth, twisting his otherwise beautiful face into a hideous grimace.</p><p>"Injuries could be a problem too."</p><p>They would know, then. They would question it.</p><p>Hongjoong was clutching at straws. He took a step back when San slowly inched closer, knowing that there was no escape from him. Now it was just a matter of easing his misery a little.</p><p>"A tennin can bring back the dead to life. I don't think that will be a problem." San still grinned incessantly and eerily. As he neared, Hongjoong stumbled backwards again and already felt the approaching edge of the table in his back.</p><p>"You think they won't ask any questions?" He sounded weaker than he wanted. He had been fighting San all the time, but still couldn't stand up to him, avoided his sick head. And now, there was no escape. No one to protect him.</p><p>"No. We are in a gang here."</p><p>With two steps, San was with Hongjoong.</p><p>The human reacted like greased lightning. He tried to throw himself around and crawl away over his little table, but that didn't work. His back collided hard with the wood as San's muscular body slammed against his. Hongjoong panicked as he started to push him off while San got involved in the fight. With grunts and groans, they wrestled on the table.</p><p>"Was it not enough to get a knife rammed into your face?" Hongjoong hissed out between clenched teeth as San forced him back onto the table. Hongjoong’s arm muscles were not comparable to his when San grabbed his wrists in one hand, pressing them against his chest.</p><p>Hongjoong’s brain made him feel like his heart was pounding in his chest. He could feel the blood pulse through his skin, but of course, there was nothing. He felt icy fear and hatred while his heart was dead.</p><p>"Pain is temporary. It is in my nature to want everything. A territorial dog does little for me." San threw one arm over Hongjoong’s knees and lifted him from the table. He carried him like a reluctant cat, and Hongjoong’s shoulder joints protested, jumping almost out of their sockets.</p><p>The human thought feverishly about a way out. He tried to make a deal, to find another object of San’s desire, anything, but his head was as if emptied. It had completely abandoned him by the time San carelessly dropped him on a bed. Hongjoong tried again to crawl away from him hastily.</p><p>He bit back his scream as San dug a weapon deep into his skin, forcing him to stay still if he didn't want to rip open the wound any further. With burning tears in his eyes, Hongjoong looked down to his thigh where San had hacked the sickle into, trying not to move.</p><p>"Look at me. Show me your pain." San’s hand gently grasped Hongjoong’s chin to turn his head towards him. Hongjoong was used to all this from him, but still, it felt different. He had no boundaries anymore.</p><p>San's lips glided warmly over his face, kissing away the tears. Hongjoong shook and trembled in his hold, the pain overwhelming him.</p><p>"I could paint you in the most beautiful way. Create a work of art... If you were mine... You wouldn't need these arms or legs. I would take such good care of you...", San murmured madly as he peppered kisses across Hongjoong’s neck. The human’s weak arms were almost giving way under them.</p><p>San was careful as he pulled the sickle out of Hongjoong’s flesh and reached around him to loosen his weapon belt. He pulled the heavy thing from his hips and threw it carelessly behind him. Blood ran down Hongjoong’s leg to pool on the sheets beneath.</p><p>San’s knife found his throat as usual, and he handled it lovingly. While he started cutting small patterns into the skin of Hongjoong’s neck, his second hand fumbled with his clothes. Hongjoong bit his tongue until it bled, forcing himself not to make a sound.</p><p>Meanwhile, he was shuddering all over his body, his body weak and fragile compared to San. Soon, the whole sheet below them was dyed red. His blood was sticky on Hongjoong’s hands, where he clung to it with his life.</p><p>"You can scream... In this place, no one will bother." The knife slid deeper. It was cold in his skin, and Hongjoong allowed himself a soft whimper if only to please San with it.</p><p>"So much pure skin... So much room for art... I'd leave you this one, don't worry." San’s hand slipped across Hongjoong’s back as he pushed his top out of the way. He settled his fingers on the tattoos there, only to suddenly throw the human around. Pain flared in Hongjoong’s injured leg as he landed on his back. Full of fear, he lay in his blood under the sin. His eyes were glinting as they slid benevolently over Hongjoong’s exposed flesh and the red marks across his skin.</p><p>Instead of the blade, this time, his teeth and fingers found Hongjoong. San had put a hand around the bloody patterns in his throat to squeeze them and force more blood out gently. Then, he lowered his mouth to Hongjoong’s chest and bit down hard.</p><p>Hongjoonh wasn't sure if he was really screaming, but it definitely hurt. His hands automatically flew to San’s head to pull him off.</p><p>For a short time, Hongjoong stared paralyzed at San’s bloodstained, grinning lips. His body had already gone numb in most places, but San found another part to hurt. Swiftly, he grabbed Hongjoong’s bothersome hands and nailed them to the headboard of the wooden bed with one of their scalpels. At the latest, he screamed.</p><p>"That's it. You are beautiful," San breathed with fascination, while Hongjoong trembled and shook beneath him, only wishing to finally faint. Usually, when he was in such situations, darkness would find him and have mercy.</p><p>Yet, San hadn't done everything. His dark eyes were full of dark promises of more pain. Carelessly, he pulled his glasses off his face and threw them somewhere in the room. Right after, he bent over Hongjoong again, kissing all the skin he could reach.</p><p>Hongjoong closed his eyes defeated as San separated him even from his last clothes. He lay tense under him, ignoring how he could barely breathe. The dark edges around his field of vision flickered as more blood spread over his skin.</p><p>"How do you think Seonghwa will react when he learns that he won't be the first to pull you into his bed? Or Mingi? Ahh, that bitch won't like this." San loosened his grip around Hongjoong’s throat slightly until he got enough air to breathe flatly. His chest sank up and down quickly.</p><p>San watched it with fascination, forcing his legs apart while he did it. When Hongjoong’s resistance lessened, he knelt between them.</p><p>"You are lucky it's me, though. Park would have killed you already. Torn to pieces and eaten."</p><p>Hongjoong sluggishly wriggled as San released him to slip out of his own clothes. He exposed tanned and sculpted muscles that Hongjoong would certainly have appreciated if they weren't in this situation.</p><p>His stupid attempts did not get Hongjoong very far.</p><p>Much rather San threw him around again, this time on his stomach. The blade in his twisting hands cut deep wounds into them, and Hongjoong whimpered again, trying to embrace the pain as much as possible.</p><p>When San bent over him this time, he penetrated him without warning. The pain that followed took Hongjoong’s last breath away. One hand slid around his throat again to cut his screams off. The other one put the knife on the tattoos on his back.</p><p>"Make yourself comfortable, dear. We both know how greedy I am," San whispered insane above Hongjoong. The human lost all sense of anything that wasn't biting pain.</p><p>-</p><p>Hongjoong awoke to the theoretically pleasant feeling of a body above his. Two hands were interlocked with his in a gentle grip, and the delicious pressure of an approaching ecstasy in his lower abdomen heated him up.</p><p>As he said, not a bad way to be awakened if he wasn't immediately aware of who he had above him.</p><p>The only reason he managed to stay calm was that he didn't know how much San had hurt him since he had lost consciousness from his rough treatment. It could be that at the moment, he was hanging on by a thread. San might have taken everything else in his greed.</p><p>Nevertheless, when Hongjoong checked his body for pain, he found nothing. He could still wiggle his toes and felt San’s strong fingers between his.</p><p>Even in places where he knew San had peeled the skin from his body or left deep bite marks yesterday, he couldn't feel anything. By the minute, he became more afraid that he had just gone numb to all the pain.</p><p>"I know you're awake," San whispered softly against his ear the next moment. His head was bent over Hongjoong’s shoulder as he flinched under him. The movement elicited a moan from San that was certainly not intentional but only made Hongjoong's stomach even more upset.</p><p>"I'm still alive?” He asked back scratchily, and San sat up. He grabbed Hongjoong’s hips to finish what he had started. Soon after, he was filling Hongjoong’s body with warmth. The human let him quietly, having long since learned not to fight in these situations. His human experiences applied even after death.</p><p>"You were already dead when we came here, love. But yes, I kept my promise."</p><p>-&gt; Hongjoong turned to San as soon as the contact with his skin had disappeared and curiously stared at him.</p><p>It was strange how... saturated he seemed. As if from day one, he had been out for nothing else but to let his greed take over and to take all the lust and pain from Hongjoong. Now, he appeared to be indifferent to it.</p><p>He seemed almost normal.</p><p>Hongjoong shuddered at the thought. Internally, he was scolding his own body for still being able to speak positively of San after all that he had done.</p><p>"I asked Youjin to heal you after you reached your limits yesterday. Nothing points to me."</p><p>Well, except for some fluid between Hongjoong’s legs, but okay, sure.</p><p>The human looked down sceptically at his immaculate body, found no wounds, not even bruises.</p><p>"Don't worry."</p><p>San propped one hand next to his hip on the still bloody (but now dried up, hmm, yummy) bed and pressed a gentle kiss on his cheek. He hadn't touched Hongjoong’s lips all night, as far as he knew.</p><p>"I got what I wanted. If you need to feel safer, disappear into Seonghwa's bed at night from now on. He will definitely make sure nothing happens to you.” San's grin seemed emptier than usual. It wasn’t full of hate and passion for destroying. He was like a burnt-out candle.</p><p>Hongjoong’s comment slipped out before he could stop himself.</p><p>"Are you all right?"</p><p>Hongjoong immediately put his hands over his mouth and waited with big eyes where San would stab him this time. However, the sin just sighed.</p><p>"I told Youjin that I wasn't going to hurt you again today. Otherwise, I would have carved my name in your throat again right now, so that everyone would know that I'm more than just a little beginner.” San skillfully avoided the question, only to jump out of bed and stand in the room for a moment in all his naked glory. He ran his fingers through his hair like a god.</p><p>He was clearly too crazy for his good looks, such a waste.</p><p>"The attack is in three days. Until then, we must spread as much fear and terror among them as possible," he said without a hint of shame. Abruptly, he went over to his bag. He picked it up to throw it on the bed next to Hongjoong before stretching and then scratching his freckled neck.</p><p>"There is some stuff from Seonghwa inside for you. I'm going to take a shower."</p><p>And away he went. Suddenly Hongjoong was alone without a lunatic in the room, and he had rarely felt so comfortable.</p><p>He had grown up on the streets, so it wasn't unusual for him to have to deal with rapists or murderous psychopaths. Nothing that he didn’t know of. But all of these bastards were usually easy to throw into a drawer that San didn’t seem to fit into, no matter how he looked at it.</p><p>By the way.</p><p>Why had he told him to crawl into bed with Seonghwa instead of Mingi?</p><p>Hongjoong blinked perplexed for a moment. He was confused by what the man knew or didn't know. In the end, he shrugged and emptied the contents of the bag in front of him. He didn't bother to get dressed after all that.</p><p>The first thing that fell into his hands was a piece of rolled parchment on which two Latin formulas were written, one to call Seonghwa and one for Yunho. Seonghwa wrote in very artistic handwriting that Hongjoong should consult one of them before releasing the yokai.</p><p>Furthermore, he should call Yunho if he wanted to have a masquerade.</p><p>Hongjoong also found a small box in which the yokai were trapped, a mask that melted into his face and turned him into a kuchisake-onna, a little healing potion, which was very nice, and also a small block with runes on it that he was supposed to stick to his weapon if he wanted or needed to kill any kind of supernatural being.</p><p>Very thoughtful of them.</p><p>Hongjoong drew up a plan.</p><p>He would now let the yokai spread fear and terror for two days and fight with words only while San did his job. Then on the last day, when people had gone crazy and relied on him for salvation, he would expose his false identity and force them to pray to Seonghwa. The oni would then proceed to eat them.</p><p>Nice, wasn't it?</p><p>With this decision, Hongjoong rose to gather his wildly scattered clothes and get dressed. So, he would call Seonghwa here first and then see what would happen.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Endgame</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>No matter how many showers Hongjoong would take after the encounter San, it wouldn't have masked his smell entirely from Seonghwa. Hongjoong thus left it at one and then headed off with a can and a piece of parchment into a dark side street where no one would mind if he summoned the Lord of the Underworld.</p><p>Seonghwa was so classic that he even appeared in a cloud of smoke that stank of sulfur. He seemed just to breathe in to give some gloomy greeting when he froze. Instead of his usual humorous teasing, he merely stared at Hongjoong with his nose turned upside scrunched. He nearly made it look as if Hongjoong was the one with the bestial smell around him.</p><p>Lying would not have helped him either.</p><p>"... Is everything alright with you?" Seonghwa asked, very cautiously. His eyes glided up and down Hongjoong several times searchingly as if he feared to see wounds he just didn't smell.</p><p>Hongjoong could only lift his shoulders.</p><p>"I had better. But our new tennin friend healed me, so my body is fine," he answered truthfully. The particular wording let Seonghwa know that his mind was different, but he didn't want to go into it any further.</p><p>"Does the great demon master drink coffee? Come, let's pretend we are normal people today."</p><p>Seonghwa was currently dressed in a black suit that sat snugly over his shoulders. The two opened buttons of his shirt revealed the first lines of tattoos nearly teasingly. His hair was also styled differently for once and was hanging down the sides of his tanned face instead of being pulled back.</p><p>He made a quite passable human if they disregarded his third eye on his forehead. With its snake-like split iris, it looked around attentively and seemed to disturb the mortals who passed them discreetly. Hongjoong pointed this out to Seonghwa after the fifth person had turned around to them in confusion. Disappointed, Seonghwa hid it again. In return, Hongjoong held the door for him as they entered a building.</p><p>In the nearest café, they sat down in some niche looking like a strange goth couple. Hongjoong ordered Seonghwa a hot chocolate with extra cream while the man looked around in wonder.</p><p>"You're not up here much, huh?" Hongjoong asked him shortly after, smiling. He quite liked the childlike fascination in Seonghwa’s eyes. Just how with Karou, it took his hard edges off.</p><p>"No." A little laugh. "Especially not in such pretty places. Mostly in dusty department stores and seedy nightclubs."</p><p>Hongjoong just nodded and then leaned back to kill time, too, since he had somehow missed being here. People were scurrying around them full of life in a hurry. Some went to school, others to work, and it all seemed so small and insignificant, so natural in contrast to the two of them.</p><p>"If you want, I can let San continue the mission alone. Or send Yunho. Yeosang will report San to the Supreme Court again if he hears about this.” A wry grin danced across Seonghwa's face. Hongjoong heard a middle-aged woman near their little table squealing enthusiastically. Hongjoong was busy hiding his grin, not wanting to tell the lady that Seonghwa would probably eat her if he could.</p><p>"No, that's alright. I'm already here, and they know me and everything. I'll figure out a way to juggle it."</p><p>Seonghwa watched him thoughtfully for a moment, then he shyly thanked a waiter who brought his chocolate. At the social interaction, he was lost for a moment in the big wide world.</p><p>It was very interesting to see him like that. If he wasn't the creature he embodied, and Hongjoong would have met him there instead of in the dead world, he would probably have played with him for a while, returning his shy nature with love.</p><p>But at least it was not like that. He was a demon.</p><p>A demon who was sipping his hot chocolate with glowing eyes and surprised sounds.</p><p>Hongjoong couldn't take his eyes off him for the best of his ability, fascinated to enumerate the differences between this Seonghwa and the cold-blooded killer. The oni put down his cup with absolute enthusiasm and looked up at Hongjoong excitedly. The corners of the human’s mouth twitched when he noticed the white foam beard Seonghwa was recently wearing.</p><p>Hongjoong did not have the heart to point it out to him.</p><p>"This is delicious! You must come here with Yunho and Yeosang, they love this stuff! Oh, and Jongho too! I'll tell Yunho to take the other two with him when he comes here." </p><p>Hongjoong had never seen him so relaxed and excited about such a simple thing, and he finally understood why he was a god. This was his human side, a completely atypical and social side of a demon, that made him perfect for a supernatural ruler.<br/>"I'm glad that you like it. If you wish, next time I pay you a visit, I'll bring you some of it. I know how to make it," Hongjoong smiled honestly. He found this option much healthier and more appetizing than blood, and Seonghwa just nodded before turning back to his chocolate with big eyes. As he took another sip, he hummed approvingly.</p><p>Hongjoong noticed once again his fingers. They were soft and slender fingers, prettier than his, while both of his hands held the warm cup. He was so different from the demon he knew.</p><p>For the first time in a long time, Hongjoong longed to come back here. Away from all the blood and death, the darkness, and the underworld. He wanted to return to his big apartment and to all his human worries and problems.</p><p>He longed for the warmth that this hot chocolate transferred even to Seonghwa.</p><p>Hongjoong did not bring it up, but he knew he had to do something.</p><p>Death already had him in its clutches too much.</p><p>Actually, he had wanted to talk to Seonghwa about the yokai, but he couldn't bring himself to separate him from his little bubble of contentment. So, he just watched the cruel oni wordlessly and satisfied with their situation until he had drunk up enthusiastically. In the end, they set off again, back to the dark alley. Only there, Hongjoong dared to ask about it.</p><p>"We restrict them locally. They haunt the building where you set them free, sparing you and San. They also kill only in moderation. It should be safe to release them, but you should get Yunho if you want to catch them again," was the short version of Seonghwa's long and complicated manual for their chaos box. Hongjoong nodded along.</p><p>"Say hello to the others for me. And tell Yunho to bring the other two with him when I call him at the end of the mission," he asked Seonghwa as a goodbye. While the demon sank back into the darkness, he gave a sound of approval.</p><p>However, at the last moment, before Seonghwa faded, Hongjoong stepped up to him again. He wiped the milk foam off his upper lip, rubbing his warm skin with his.</p><p>Seonghwa winked at him once more and then he was gone.</p><p>Hongjoong went back to San alone.         </p><p>-</p><p>"Why is Yunho working for Seonghwa?" Hongjoong asked San cautiously later that day. The mortal sin was in the middle of changing his clothes to be ready for their trip with the gang today. "Does he have his hoshi no tama?"</p><p>San let his lazy eyes wander over Hongjoong as he closed his pants, looking for his shirt.</p><p>"Do you think it could be different?"</p><p>Hongjoong raised his shoulders. He was frankly too surprised to have received an actual answer to reply immediately.</p><p>"I believe that Yunho is there of his own free will."</p><p>"Karou has his hoshi no tama. Seonghwa's brood."</p><p>Hongjoong blinked in perplexity. San crossed the room calmly to collect his shirt from the floor, brushing some dust off briefly. He slipped in and began buttoning it up from the bottom. Gradually his body disappeared.</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"Yunho was not in good shape when Izanami handed him over to Seonghwa. Yunho is old and powerful. But he, too, has feelings. He was numb and dull then. Seonghwa revived him. His hoshi no tama is safe in Karou's hands. Yunho gifted it to her at birth and promised to protect her always. The two of them will be a cute couple someday," San told Hongjoong completely smooth, not looking up.</p><p>The human was surprised. Yes, he had known Yunho as an exceptionally nice Kitsune, but he hadn't known that it could have such a background. So he had been loyal to Izanami at that time. Seonghwa’s sister.</p><p>"One of our souls once said that the loneliest people are the friendliest. That the saddest people smile the brightest. And that the people who have been hurt the most are the wisest... Yunho is a gentle soul."</p><p>Hongjoong had never heard San talk about the others with such emotion, but that was secondary at the moment. Because Seonghwa's smile suddenly came back to his mind and a nasty pain stabbed deep into his heart when he found Mingi and Yeosang in this system, too. But also, and this was the most amazing thing, San.</p><p>Hongjoong didn't talk to him about it. He didn't know enough about the deadly sins, after all. So, instead, he just nodded restlessly, shifting the conversation to another topic.</p><p>"And" His voice failed, and he cleared his throat strangely. San's dark eyes found him darkly. "And Yeosang?"</p><p>San knew something.</p><p>The man sighed softly and then fixed his hair, seemingly conflicted with himself. In the end, though, he seemed to decide not telling was not worth it.</p><p>"Yeosang is about to fall."</p><p>Hongjoong world collapsed in a clash.</p><p>San had to see his shock as he cursed under his breath and was with Hongjoong in one step. He slammed his back against the wall and his knife against his throat.</p><p>There they were again.</p><p>Hongjoong struggled for air, but it had nothing to do with San’s grip.</p><p>Yeosang. Sweet Yeosang. He was falling from grace. He was dying. </p><p>"Tell me this is not true," Hongjoong whispered to him regardless of the danger, and San hesitated again. His eyes were fixed unfocused on Hongjoong’s collarbone. "I tried to stop him, but Seonghwa... It's never good to be around Seonghwa. He devours Yeosang’s soul as well as yours. I know you've already felt the cold grip of death. This realm we stay in- it’s no place to live in.”</p><p>Hongjoong knew, but something was wrong. It couldn't be right. Seonghwa was human, and Seonghwa didn't want to hurt either of them. There must have been some mistake.</p><p>"Yeosang is taking it upon himself. He spends too much time with us. He must go home. The roots of his feathers are already turning black and rotting away," San whispered emptily against Hongjoong’s neck. In a sudden impulse, Hongjoong stretched out his hands to San’s hips and grasped his warm flesh under his open shirt.</p><p>It stabilised him a bit, but not enough.</p><p>"As soon as he gets it over with, he will have to leave. He is so reckless. He runs into his own ruin and doesn't see it."</p><p>San's voice had lowered to a growl, but the pressure of the blade on Hongjoong’s skin had eased.</p><p>"You, too, will vanish. None of you will stay."</p><p>Hongjoong was too shocked to speak. He couldn't make a sound.</p><p>With that, the knife fell to the floor rattling, and San's forearms lay against the wall to the left and right of Hongjoong’s head. Sanwhispered with his head lowered while his hair tickled Hongjoong’s right ear. The human shuddered weakly against the broad man.</p><p>"They will tear you to shreds. Seonghwa and Mingi... They have no choice, you know? Everything you do. Every word, every action. Every thought! It will be part of your verdict. They are demons; they like you, their anger about their duties will be terrible."</p><p>Something inside Hongjoong broke, bubbling up a mixture of disbelief, anger, and deep pain. It came so sudden, the information causing his feeling to spill over and out. He had withheld so well for the sake of his mission. But now, his journey came to an abrupt end. He wasn’t prepared.</p><p>"You cannot let this happen!" The human suddenly became hysterical, punching hard against San’s chest.</p><p>"You can't- They'll hurt Yeosang! They'll kill him, San!"</p><p>San didn't move when he hit him, and hot tears of desperation wet Hongjoong’s face.</p><p>"How can you- How can you let this happen?!" His voice broke miserably. San buried his face in Hongjoong’s throat, inhaling his fear. They breathed against each other, oddly calming Hongjoong down.</p><p>"Yeosang is killing himself. Like you, like Jongho, like many before him who were sent to Seonghwa for this very purpose. He knows what he is doing. He knows exactly well. And he is ready for it."</p><p>Hongjoong trembled like a leaf in a storm. He had dug his nails deep into San’s skin, but the man didn't care. He just gave him closeness and protection in his weird style. Surprisingly, after all the issues they had had, Hongjoong trusted him to be his anchor now.</p><p>"It may still be centuries before this happens. Souls, weaker souls will come and go. But once you fall too far, that's it. And you will fall, Hongjoong. That is why they keep you around."</p><p>His voice was soft and almost sad on Hongjoong’s ear. It gave him an idea of how often San had watched this, how much it hurt everyone involved. It explained the pain in Yunho's eyes whenever he healed him. The deep sadness of Jongho who could not stop Yeosang. The non-existent smile in Seonghwa's life. And Mingi's desire to simply protect them all.</p><p>"Who you are now... Whatever is going on between you and Mingi right now... It won't matter anymore. You will be one soul among many to punish. You'll be extinguished like many before you."</p><p>Hongjoong probably would have fallen to his knees when his legs finally gave way under him, but San was there, pressing his warm body against his to keep him upright.</p><p>"There is no escape... There is no life you can steal, no one who can take you out of Seonghwa's grip. It was over when you first saw him in the throne room. He knows it all. He merely entertains you. And that time is coming to an end.”</p><p>Hongjoong didn't know if he was still crying, but he wanted San to stop. He wanted to hear that everything was a lie, that it didn't make any sense. Yet, he knew deep down that San was right. Hongjoong wouldn’t have gotten this far if they hadn’t let him.</p><p>San fell silent, just supporting him while Hongjoong shivered and shuddered. Only now did he realise the situation he was in, that he couldn't just worm his way out like he always did. That this had nothing to do with emotional ties but with divine law. There was nowhere to run.</p><p>It was all a cruel illusion.</p><p>"Y-You are greed... You like to see me suffer... How am I supposed to believe all this?" Hongjoong muttered barely audible,, and San finally stepped back from him. Wobbling, Hongjoong managed to stand alone. Desperately he clung to his last strand of hope. He wanted a grin from San, a mocking laugh. Anything.</p><p>"Believe it or not. We both know it makes too much sense to be made up."</p><p>With that, his face became a blank mask again and he turned around to finish dressing.</p><p>Hongjoong leaned against the wall for a while, stunned.</p><p>What could he believe now?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Gambling with Death</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kotoamatsukami: Three ur-gods, powerful beings that were some of the first beings created in the world</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Not long after their talk, Hongjoong had almost calmed down to the point of icy determination. As soon as he was coherent, he pressed the box with the yokai against San's chest and opened the window. Better to leave this way instead of running into Youjin.</p><p> </p><p>"They are locally bound and will not hurt you. Ask Yunho if you want to catch them," Hongjoong hurriedly shouted to the man. Then he leapt outside, into the dark side street next to the house. A cat hissed at him before it skittered away.</p><p> </p><p>With his dead heart wildly hammering away (or so), he jogged further into the darkness, muttering Seonghwa's formula under his breath. When the slim oni appeared in a cloud of smoke, Hongjoong almost ran against him but managed to stop in time, probably looking absolutely mad.</p><p> </p><p>"Are you-" Pretty rude, Hongjoong interrupted him.</p><p> </p><p>"Take me back. San can handle it; we need to talk."</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa didn't ask. He just closed his mouth and grabbed Hongjoong’s arm to drag him through the planes with him. It was not a nice feeling, and it reminded Hongjoong of his guts being pulled out of his stomach, but that was the least of his worries at the moment.</p><p> </p><p>Back in his room, he did not allow Seonghwa a break.</p><p> </p><p>"San told me everything. About Yeosang. About my fate here." And he desperately needed someone to tell him that it was all fiction and lies.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa sat on his bed, never letting Hongjoong out of his sight. He seemed cautious, tense. His voice was velvety and lulling as he spoke.</p><p> </p><p>"Do you believe him?"</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong buried his hands in his hair in resignation and made an indefinable sound.</p><p> </p><p>"I don't want to, but I do! It made too much sense, and he's no liar..." His voice hurt in his throat. For a moment, he just looked indefinitely against a wall. Right now, he didn't want to look at Seonghwa, didn't want to hear that it was true.</p><p> </p><p>"He is right. The sins...they probably play the most terrible role here. They spend most of their time with the souls, getting to know and appreciate them, only to have them taken away. You're not the first one here who thinks he can cheat death. Many came before you, some with far more ridiculous aims." Seonghwa’s voice was stern, speaking the cold truth. Hongjoong gritted his teeth, knowing full well that there were loopholes, but he guessed he didn't have time to find them. They had made it too easy for him. They had made it seem as if time was not an issue here when actually they had recorded his every step.</p><p> </p><p>"Sure, I'm one of many. A reckless, human soul. What about Yeosang? Why not send him home if that would save him?"</p><p> </p><p>Now it was up to Seonghwa to sigh and weave his hands through his hair.</p><p> </p><p>"He is already tainted. If he goes back now, they will cut off his wings there and send him back to earth as a human being where he would have to live in misery. It is his choice to stay here and die."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong stared at him in disbelief. His human mind was unable to comprehend the sheer number of souls who had to go through the same thing and after inevitably giving their all for Seonghwa.</p><p> </p><p>It killed them.</p><p> </p><p>"We can delay the process, but we cannot stop it. You still have time. But your newfound knowledge will not make it any more pleasant for you. From now on, every trust between us is artificial.”</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong had to come up with something. He needed to find a solution for Yeosang and a way out for himself.</p><p> </p><p>"You know there is a loophole, don't you?" Hongjoong gambled for his life, and Seonghwa looked at him indecisively, seemed to weigh his words carefully. His human side shone through; his merciful and gentle side that had no interest in pointless cruelty.</p><p> </p><p>"I do. There have been quite a few stubborn souls who have made a difference. But it won't save you."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong did not hesitate for a second.</p><p> </p><p>"Can it save Yeosang?"</p><p> </p><p>The pause in the room this time was much longer and tenser. Seonghwa seemed to struggle with himself for a while. The conflict on his face was apparent.</p><p> </p><p>"It... can, but it is not what you imagine. He will still not be able to be an angel any longer and become a yokai instead. He would find his place here, just like Jongho and San, but he could not return to heaven. It is not a decision you should make lightly. Not since his own decision has already been made.”</p><p> </p><p>Uncertainly, Hongjoong bit his lip, of course, he had to discuss it with Yeosang first, but something told him that he would not want Hongjoong to sacrifice his life anyway. He was too stubborn with the fate he had set for himself.</p><p> </p><p>"He would want to stop you," Seonghwa added softly.</p><p> </p><p>"Humans always warn each other against making a pact with the devil. It’s full of treachery, and you usually lose more than you gain."</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa just nodded, folding his hands in his lap.</p><p> </p><p>"I only have my soul to lose, and it is yours anyway," Hongjoong continued, putting his arms on his hips to find support. His fingers dug into his flesh.</p><p> </p><p>"It changes the way you die — the goal. Right now, you would just weaken until, at some point, you couldn't get up again. Mingi would then probably take you, sweeten the end a bit, and later bring you into his own realm. There a judgment would be made, and you would be put into a category. Depending on the outcome, you will spend more or less time in hell, as you can call it. Afterwards, you will be reborn. If you change your fate, however, and make a pact with me for Yeosang, then you no longer exist. Your soul will replace Yeosang's, and your consciousness will vanish forever. You will interrupt the cycle of life and death.”</p><p> </p><p>So that was how it was. To save Yeosang, a new soul was needed, a spirit that was independent of any supernatural event. Yeosang would be able to live by using a human soul as his collateral. But Hongjoong would be gone.</p><p> </p><p>For the first time, the human fear of the unknown overcame Hongjoong. To die had been no problem. But now to die out here forever, that frightened him. When he died, he had planned to return. Meddling with death sounded like a horrible idea.</p><p> </p><p>"What... What would happen? If I made the pact?"</p><p> </p><p>The shadows in the room had become darker with the minutes and the contrast of light and darkness on Seonghwa's face sharper. It was cold. Hongjoong rubbed his arms.</p><p> </p><p>"What San did to you... You would have to do it all over again. After that, you will be sent down to our basement, which leads straight down to hell. It would be dark, painful, and very unpleasant in every regard. You would have to find someone down there before your time runs out. It is the Kotoamatsukami, who will grant you a wish if you do find them. Because it is barter, it won't be a problem. Otherwise, you would have to leave them something. You will then regain control of Yeosang's soul and be allowed to keep it. Your soul will be taken instead of Yeosang, and your body will die.”</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong had made the wise decision to sit down on the hard floor with numb legs and just listen to him. His mind had long since emptied out.</p><p> </p><p>"It will be far from what would happen to you otherwise. Strange and unfamiliar. It could also be that you die down there before you get that far."</p><p> </p><p>Doubtfully, Hongjoong stared at the obsidian below me, trying to grasp what was at stake. However, in the end, he didn't care. His masterplan had failed, and he could either give up or at least fight for Yeosang. It was the least he could do for him. Hongjoong had lost anyway.</p><p> </p><p>"What about you?"</p><p> </p><p>He saw Seonghwa's questioning look in the middle of the room.</p><p> </p><p>"What's in it for you? So far, it's only me, Yeosang, and the three old men.”</p><p> </p><p>The crooked grin on Seonghwa’s face told him that he appreciated his attention.</p><p> </p><p>"I'll get you, a solution for Yeosang, and the opportunity to judge over your path instead of Mingi," Seonghwa said contentedly, loosening the mood a bit. Hongjoong could only stare in confusion.</p><p> </p><p>"But is that enough? Is that the equivalent of a soul? Are you sure that the system is right?"</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa leaned back languidly on his bed.</p><p> </p><p>"To hell with the system. I make the rules here."</p><p> </p><p>And Hongjoong guessed that was true. Otherwise, he wouldn't have suggested it.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong had utterly forgotten that he actually had a much bigger problem than just asking Yeosang if he could play the martyr for him and if it was okay for him that Hongjoong slept with an oni first, only to go through hell to save his life.</p><p> </p><p>After all, that was not everything.</p><p> </p><p>But in his stress with Yeosang and his own dilemma, he had completely forgotten that he still smelled a lot like San and that he was no longer on the mission he was supposed to be on.</p><p> </p><p>So it was probably ten minutes of just standing outside Yeosang's door and mentally preparing himself to tell him that yes, he would die in his place, only to not get a word in, when his door was open.</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang answered on the third knock and pulled the door open with verve, seemingly waiting for someone (*cough* Jongho *cough*), only to get big eyes when it was just Hongjoong. The human’s gaze glided over his increasingly pale skin and the dark rings under his pretty eyes. Only now, he noticed how Yeosang consciously hid his wings with tense shoulders, clearly not healthy.</p><p> </p><p>"Hongjoong, what are you doing he-" He broke off as he inhaled, only to end the sentence in the middle of the word and stare stunned. Then, his face morphed more and more into a mask of horror.</p><p> </p><p>At first, Hongjoong was worried about walking around as a kuchisake-onna or something like that. However, when Yeosang frankly grabbed him by the arm to pull him close, he forgot the idea and perplexedly looked for another reason.</p><p> </p><p>"What is that stench?!" Yeosang whispered in disbelief while Hongjoong was still standing in his fading warmth. The human self-consciously sniffed at his shoulder, trying to guess what he meant.</p><p> </p><p>"Uhmm... Possibly sulfur?"</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang carelessly pulled the collar of Hongjoong’s shirts down to press his nose close to his neck. He twitched back immediately as if he had burned himself.</p><p> </p><p>"What-" Full of undivided suspicion and disgust, he looked down at Hongjoong. Hesitant, he drew his brows together in confusion.</p><p> </p><p>"Is that... San?!"</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Oh, no.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>And there was the problem he had pushed away.</p><p> </p><p>Within a second, Hongjoong panicked and withdrew, probably having chosen the worst of all wrong moments to address Yeosang. Yet, the tennin’s grip around his upper arm was relentless, holding Hongjoong still while he was still linking the connections.</p><p> </p><p>"I-I must go to Mingi, please let go of me, Yeosang," he tried hastily and tugged at his hand, achieving nothing.</p><p> </p><p>"Why do you smell like San when you are--"</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong could see the exact moment when Yeosang understood. His face darkened within seconds, casting deep shadows on his hollow-looking cheeks. Hngjoong winced, still not able to flee</p><p> </p><p>"Yeosang," he whispered his name anxiously to bring him to his senses, pulling on his hand, which was now squeezing hard.</p><p> </p><p>"I'll kill him."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong wasn't even sure if somebody could kill San, but either way, it wasn't a very trustworthy sentence.</p><p> </p><p>So, he resorted to a stopgap measure. He screamed Mingi's name out loud.</p><p> </p><p>The god staggered out of his room almost instantly with tangled hair. He had probably still been sleeping, but now grasped the situation with a quick glance. Faster than Hongjoong could look, he was at their side and tore the growling and roaring Yeosang away from him. With his advantage in power clearly visible pushed the weak angel into his room as friendly as possible and hastily closed the door, calling for Yunho.</p><p> </p><p>"Block Yeosang's way out," he ordered hurriedly. No sooner than an approving hum came from the kitsune, they heard Yeosang raving inside. He yelled at them to let him out, accompanied by the noises of splintering wood and wild curses.</p><p> </p><p>"What have you done to him?" Mingi asked Hongjoong in shock. He had swiftly led him away from the source of the commotion and worriedly straightened his sleeve. Hongjoong was careful around him.</p><p> </p><p>"I, uh... Actually, nothing yet.” He was also wondering if he should go through with the plan if Yeosang reacted like this again or worse.</p><p> </p><p>Mingi didn't seem to have thought of testing the air yet, which made Hongjoong feel better.</p><p> </p><p>"And what do you have in mind that's so evil?"</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong pushed around a bit, usually not mincing his words, but somehow, he couldn't get himself to confess to Mingi. His mind was in shambles, he didn’t want to trust the man blindly.</p><p> </p><p>"Could you... ask Seonghwa about this? He also knows why I'm here instead of there. I really have to see Yunho."</p><p> </p><p>Any idiot would have noticed the lame excuse, but Mingi accepted it with alert eyes before turning around.</p><p> </p><p>"Fine, I will. After that, I’ll look for ways to calm down a rabid angel. Let me know when you leave, alright?"</p><p> </p><p>Of course. Mingi would know.</p><p> </p><p>With an unpleasant tug in Hongjoong’s heart, he watched as Mingi left with his hair still fuzzy, heading for Seonghwa. After he had swallowed the unwanted lump in his throat, he turned towards Yunho door.</p><p> </p><p>When the kitsune opened, he at first unwillingly narrowed his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong quickly said, "Please don't yell at me, too," probably swallowed a word, and the Kitsune remained silent. He merely stared down at him in wonder as Hongjoong slowly opened one of his squeezed shut eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"Why should I? What did you tell him?"</p><p> </p><p>"I... Um... Nothing. He just... smelled me?</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong held his breath as Yunho took a long deep sniff. His eyes were stern when he found Hongjoong’s again, but he didn't say anything. He just opened the door wider so Hongjoong could slip under his arm.</p><p> </p><p>"Jongho, you should go to Yeosang... Don't say anything about San," the fox advised the peaceful reaper on his bed quietly. The man just glanced at them, confused before waving at Hongjoong awkwardly and leaving through the wall.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm really not in the best shape right now, so maybe you could...?" Hongjoong just pointed at his head. With a grave nod, Yunho immediately wove the protective dome of sound and vision around them. He was gentle as he leafed through Hongjoong’s thoughts like a book, looking for what he needed.</p><p> </p><p>In the meanwhile, Hongjoong sat down straight as a board and with bouncing legs on the edge of the bed. He wrung his hands nervously while Yunho did his work, humming softly. In the end, the kitsune checked him out in a balanced way.</p><p> </p><p>"Are you feeling well? You have indeed been through a lot in these two or three days.”</p><p> </p><p>To be honest, Hongjoong was actually feeling pretty good. Except for when he thought about having to sleep with Seonghwa. Only then did a fresh wave of panic overcome him.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, that's not the problem... It's more Yeosang, however I should explain it to him and the other thing. Also, hey, this is going to sound really weird, but I suffer more from it than you do. Could you maybe give me one or two tips on how I can survive sharing my bed with a man-eating demon?”</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Farewell</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Smut until the first time skip</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The most unpleasant conversation of his entire death later, Hongjoong found himself standing at Seonghwa's door again (where he clearly spent too much time.) He still hesitated to knock, just as Seonghwa hesitated to let him in, even though they both knew precisely that Hongjoong was already here.</p><p> </p><p>Mingi had passed the human on the stairs a few minutes earlier and had merely wordlessly squeezed his shoulder before he had disappeared. He had been either busy or not wanted to be bothered with the subject. Hongjoong hoped that he would find a solution to convince Yeosang, with whom it had proved unhelpful to talk because he still wanted to kill San.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong sighed inwardly</p><p> </p><p>Yunho had helped him as much as he could, but since he spoke from no human experience, he couldn't guarantee everything. But Hongjoong waiting here, freshly showered and halfway decently dressed, all the courage they had talked about during the conversation went down the drain again.</p><p> </p><p>In the end, waiting for Seonghwa did not get him any further. The god wouldn't force him to do anything, so at some point, Hongjoong just switched off and reached out for the waiting door handle. He entered quietly and with his eyes lowered to the ground.</p><p> </p><p>The oni was already waiting for him and rose elegantly from his seat at the head of the long table. Hongjoong closed the door behind him carefully, and then his hands cramped together. Still, he was avoiding Seonghwa’s gaze.</p><p> </p><p>San had attacked him. But he was on his own, and that fact tasted stale in his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa, fortunately, said nothing. He just turned around with his robe billowing and walked towards his backroom. Hongjoong was glad that he seemed to know his intention exactly. Alleviated, he followed and closed this door to the bedroom as well. Then, he courageously walked over to Seonghwa’s bed with unfocused eyes and halted in the place between his invitingly open legs.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong’s thoughts drifted away constantly as his head tried to free him from the unpleasant situation. Seonghwa, who cleared his throat gently, not daring to touch yet, still managed to bring him back.</p><p> </p><p>"Forgive me, after San... I can understand why you are trying to escape. It's no big deal, but if it would calm you down, I can also call Mingi...? Or Yunho?" The oni's deep voice was careful. Despite his suggestion, Hongjoong knew that he wouldn't like having another man in the room. He didn't feel comfortable being watched. But still, Seonghwa had brought it up, and this gesture alone calmed Hongjoong and eased accepting of the situation.</p><p> </p><p>"No, it's alright." Hongjoong managed a little smile. "Otherwise, it would be too much... I just want..." Yeah, what did he want? He didn't need Seonghwa to take the time to be gentle with him; he just wanted to forget this as quickly as possible. But his body had developed such a tremendous fear of pain after San had been cutting him all night long. He would not overcome a quick, rough treatment of the oni either.</p><p> </p><p>"I just want to save Yeosang," was all he could think of. Seonghwa looked up at him wordlessly for a moment. Hongjoong’s eyes got lost in those bottomless lakes that had no emotions at all and too many at once.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa gradually reached out his hands to Hongjoong. He moved deliberately so that Hongjoong could flinch back. He didn't, and shortly afterwards Seonghwa warmly grabbed his hips. His skin was almost hot through the fabric of his white clothes.</p><p> </p><p>"You will..." Seonghwa murmured softly to him. Then he pulled Hongjoong gently down on himself, giving him the freedom to move away from him or to leave anytime. His body under his open coat was just as warm as Honghoong remembered it. He caught his hands sliding across the smooth tattooed chest as he stabilised his body on Seonghwa’s lap. It was the last thing Seonghwa himself lacked to thaw out. He kept making sure Hongjoong was okay and had chosen to come willingly into his arms.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa watched him carefully, probably not used to sleeping with humans often either, especially if they were afraid of him and already mentally upset.</p><p> </p><p>However, Hongjoong managed to calm down and concentrate. With a determined tilt of his head, he bent down to unite our mouth, after what felt like an eternity to feel the full lips and long tongue of the ever-hungry oni again. His tongue hit Hongjoong’s at the same moment, Seonghwa pulled their hips together. Shyly, the heat rose inside of Hongjoong as his insides went into turmoil.</p><p> </p><p>It was like the times before when Seonghwa had kissed him. He lost all sense of space and time, sinking into the sweet darkness that lasciviously lured him and carried him away like a maelstrom. Seonghwa was cautious, but he pursued a goal as he took messed with Hongjoong’s senses with his teeth and tongue on his lips. His warm fingers crept up Hongjoong’s blouse, deftly unbuttoning its buttons without tearing him out of his little cloud of privacy.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong’s eyes were closed. He shied away from having to look the oni so close in the face, but his fingers were restless. Exploring, they were gliding through his soft curls, over the fabric of his coat and finally also the skin of his chest.</p><p> </p><p>It could be his warmth, maybe his smell or saliva was some kind of aphrodisiac, but just like that day in the spell of the kajis, Hongjoong’s body quickly grew restless. The unbearable heat between his thighs soon grew too much to ignore.</p><p> </p><p>A help-seeking sound escaped Hongjoong, sounding pitifully between our mixed breath. Seonghwa immediately detached from him to stare searchingly into his face. Hongjoong saw him too now, saw how wild his hair was and how red his lips were. How his eyes were only half-open, how he desired Hongjoong even though he was nothing more than a mere human.</p><p> </p><p>"Please..." He just muttered. He gently pushed the coat off Seonghwa’s shoulders to watch it sink down around his elbows. An elegant collarbone came into sight, and more colour was exposed.</p><p> </p><p>"Boundaries?" Seonghwa sounded rough. His breath was laboriously controlled, but he had asked once more. Hongjoong appreciated it despite the thick fog that lay in his head.</p><p> </p><p>"This position... And stay away from my neck, please."</p><p> </p><p>It was enough for Seonghwa because in the next moment, his lips were already back on Hongjoong’s. They kissed even more pressing and searching than before, while Seonghwa’s hands slid deeper. Hongjoong’s hips rolled down instinctually against his.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong could hardly breathe, and every little sound that escaped him unconsciously was drunk up by Seonghwa hungrily, finding no place between his deft tongue and his lips. His fingers found their stability on Seonghwa’s shoulders, which moved regularly underneath them as he grabbed Hongjoong’s back tighter. His firm grip brought Hongjoong’s body down more decisively to his pressing hardness.</p><p> </p><p>By now, everything was much too warm, his clothes, his skin, the air in the room, everything seemed oppressive, and there was no relief in sight. It hurt, and Hongjoong knew that it hurt Seonghwa too, but it was only when he suddenly put one of his legs over his lap and briefly taking Hongjoong away from him that the sudden feeling came over his body that he needed relief from this heat and tension.</p><p> </p><p>"Just for a moment, I don't want to hurt you."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong wanted to hear more of his voice, enjoyed its rough and scratchy sound in his ears. Yet, for now, it was more important how Seonghwa shrugged off his coat, only to press Hongjoong down with his back on his bed. Without pause, he slipped his fingers under the waistband of the human’s trousers.</p><p> </p><p>The fresh air on Hongjoong’s bare legs brought him relief for a moment, then it was already too warm again. He pressed his cheek frustratedly into the soft mattress, looking for something cool.</p><p> </p><p>But he was startled again when Seonghwa's head suddenly disappeared between his legs. The next moment, his tongue was inside Hongjoong, and it really felt as if he was melting, as if everything that was still human and sensitive to cold on him was falling away from him and giving way to a fiery hell. Out of breath, Hongjoong buried his hands in Seonghwa’s hair. Hongjoong lost all sense for articulate thoughts as a slim finger joined Seonghwa’s tongue. While it reached about the same distance as his long tongue did, it was still so different, so strange, even though he tried to keep everything human.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong tried to say something, a curse, his name, a sound, something, but nothing escaped him as Seonghwa, full of searing heat and determination, attacked his senses. Hongjoong didn't even know where above and below was, only that he had come in the meantime, and his body was violently shaking under the demon.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong limbs were like pudding the next time Seonghwa moved him over his hips. His stable and tattooed thighs were no less hot and seemed to melt into Hongjoong’s.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong arms lay around his neck, seeking weakly for purchase. They paused briefly, knowing exactly what the last step was, what it meant - for him and for his fate. Seonghwa waited, practising incredible self-control and just breathed heavily against Hongjoong’s ear. He gave Hongjoong the time to gather his wits and managed to reassure him once again to be aware of what he was doing.</p><p> </p><p>Still, Seonghwa stopped him when he raised his hips a little.</p><p> </p><p>"Are you sure?" Seonghwa murmured gently at his ear, holding Hongjoong’s waist while it was still much too warm. Their bodies seemed to steam.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes," the human managed to say in a cracking voice. He reached down firmly to put one hand around him, and oh... Hongjoong had been right with thinking that it was just Seonghwa’s hands, feet, and head that were untattooed. His length lay heavy and scary in Hongjoong’s tiny hand that would not fully wrap around it for a moment. Despite his insecurity, in the end, Seonghwa remained an oni that was careful not to hurt him.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong went slow as he inserted Seonghwa into his burning and blazing body. He lost more and more breath as he sank deeper and deeper. Seonghwa’s fingers left red marks on his hips as he waited through it with muffled growls.</p><p> </p><p>If bodies could fully merge with each other, this was now the case. The adrenaline and lust were intense in Hongjoong veins, spurring him on as he looked for Seonghwa's lips again. He knew well that they were too warm for him, but it didn't matter. They had wasted enough time, and now it wouldn't be long before the heat would die down.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa took over from there. He kept his promise and steered Hongjoong with his hands while his body rested heavily in the oni’s arms. Occasionally he would quietly pant or whimper until Seonghwa interrupted him with a deep thrust in the middle of his breath.</p><p> </p><p>It was not long, but it was too long. Hongjoong’s eyes soon lost their focus, and everything floated in bright colours. The shapes in the room were distorted, and Seonghwa's voice sounded as if from a great distance to his ear.</p><p> </p><p>Yunho had forewarned him, and Seonghwa certainly did again, but still, Hongjoong was not ready for the sudden heatwave that took over his body as soon as Seonghwa bit him. It was to leave his mark, his scent, the one thing they did this for. At the same moment that their bodies pressed against each other in ecstasy, his teeth sank into Hongjoong’s soft flesh. The human was glad that he was already pretty much gone; otherwise he might have had flashbacks.</p><p> </p><p>The heat became unbearable from then on as he sank into soft darkness. It was an automatic response from his body to cool down, according to Yunho. Seonghwa's arms tightly wrapped around Hongjoong’s waist, and his strong voice calling loudly for Mingi gave him a carefree passage into the darkness.</p><p> </p><p>It was cooler, more welcome.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong had stopped counting how many times he had woken up with the feeling that he should have been dead. Of course, he was anyway, but the confusing feeling hit him again and again.</p><p> </p><p>Anyway, he sat up as he did every morning and looked around distinctly. He noticed a tub of water next to his bed, and little by little, his memories came back to him as well. They left him sitting embarrassed in bed for a moment before he managed to get up to keep himself busy. He was wearing a silk nightgown, and someone had gone through the trouble of washing his hair.</p><p> </p><p>It was exactly the same as with San. Hongjoong felt too relaxed and balanced to actually be able to connect the too vivid images in his head with reality. So, he trudged barefoot over to his closet, absently noting the feeling of cold glass under his feet. Comfortably, he slipped into his usual clothes and swapped the white pyjama with a black sweater and pants.</p><p> </p><p>As a matter of routine, he would have gone to practice with San, but now he had another task to do. And even worse: conversations. With each of the residents of the tower, even if he had wanted to leave before San returned and started a small war.</p><p> </p><p>Still, his steps were firm as he walked over to Yeosang's door and knocked cautiously before entering. He could not leave this matter unresolved.</p><p> </p><p>At first, he immediately expected a fierce Yeosang who was chaotically ravaging his room, but the actual sight shook Hongjoong in a very different way than he had expected.</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang lay with his head in Yunho's lap, his form looking small on the surface of smooth glass. His once radiant room seemed to have turned grey, together with his wings losing their purity.</p><p> </p><p>The angel's eyes were peacefully closed, and his chest was regularly sinking up and down. The two would have made a peaceful picture had it not been for the thin trickle of black blood from the corner of Yeosang's mouth. He looked deflated and sunken compared to the tall Yunho.</p><p> </p><p>Hesitantly Hongjoong stepped up to them. He kept watching Yunho's fingers gliding steadily and gently through the angel's lifeless hair; the Kitsune hardly seemed to notice Hongjoong himself. He only snapped out of his trance when Hongjoong got down on his knees next to them and slowly stretched his fingers out towards Yeosang's wings. As he sorted through his soft feathers, he could now see that almost a third of his majestic wings were soaked in musty black. How long would it take before Yeosang had to leave? Would Hongjoong manage to save him in time? What if he died as expected, but was too late and everything was for nought?</p><p> </p><p>Who knew if they could change fate.</p><p> </p><p>"I should leave as soon as possible, shouldn't I?" Hongjoong whispered mainly to himself without moving from the spot.</p><p> </p><p>Yunho nevertheless raised his depressed eyes to him.</p><p> </p><p>"You don't have to... Yeo won't know about it anyway; he is not strong enough for an outburst like yesterday," he seemed to be torn to and fro to save Yeosang and not force anything on Hongjoong.</p><p> </p><p>The human just kept silent and looked down, heartbroken at the once so radiant angel. He would never see him in all his glory again anyway, but at least he could allow the others to continue spending time with him. Yunho, who enjoyed every free minute with him; Jongho, who had grown so fond of him; Mingi, who would probably never stop bickering with Yeosang; San, who was the only one who was outside of all parties and thus a vital contact person in Yeosang's life; and of course Seonghwa, who watched everything from his corner with a mysterious smile.</p><p> </p><p>"Of course, I will do it. I have already decided."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong met Yunho's gaze, the deep conflict in his dark eyes. The kitsune silently reached out a hand to Hongjoong and put it briefly against his forehead, remained like that for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>"I believe that you can do it... That is the problem. We shouldn't sacrifice you like that."</p><p> </p><p>The corners of Hongjoong’s mouth twitched up. They weren't sacrificing anyone exactly, and yet, Yunho worried. In a quick impulse, Hongjoong reached out his arms to clumsily embrace Yunho over Yeosang. Yunho returned the gesture with one arm, then sat back a little, trying not to wake Yeosang.</p><p> </p><p>"Thanks anyway. For all your help so far. Iknow that you will take good care of him in the future... Thanks for that."</p><p> </p><p>Yunho just smiled distortedly. He couldn't possibly thank Hongjoong for his second suicide. The human just playfully poked his cheek, then he rose to leave the room.</p><p> </p><p>He ran straight into San's chest.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ow.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong stumbled back and chaotically pushed the door shut. He prayed that he had not woken Yeosang. Otherwise there would probably be bloodshed. The sin observed his panic as he grinned knowingly. His dark eyes were lazy as they glided from Hongjoong to the door behind him.</p><p> </p><p>"You can walk through walls now, you know," San remarked with amusement, but then he pulled his eyes together unwillingly as he apparently read the mood in the room behind.</p><p> </p><p>"There's been a lot going on here since you ran away from me."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong was sure he didn't know about their plan yet and probably didn't smell him directly either. Despite that, it really wasn't hard to notice the gloomy atmosphere in the tower.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm in a bit of a hurry at the moment, so maybe we could skip the part with knives at the throats?" Hongjoong asked him cautiously. He was careless in his hectic pace, but San just raised a perfectly curved eyebrow.</p><p> </p><p>"Have you looked in the mirror today? It would be reckless to go for your neck at the moment. Not to say <em>suicidal</em>." With that, he winked at Hongjoong playfully and went his way. The human curiously put his hand through a wall for the first time. The sin had been right. Thus, he walked through the walls for a while, looking for Jongho and, in the meantime, enjoying his new freedom.</p><p> </p><p>Jongho was on the balcony, leaning epically against the balustrade and looking out into the void with crossed arms. He didn't seem to notice Hongjoong at first but then started talking as he approached.</p><p> </p><p>"How did you die?" He inquired quietly, his face ghostly illuminated by the moon. Sighing, Hongjoong leaned beside him. He studied Jongho’s almost childlike-looking features and his soft cheeks. Jongho could hardly have been older than him at the time of his death.</p><p> </p><p>"I jumped into hot lava," Hongjoong confessed without hesitation. Shocked, Jongho turned to stare at him, searching for the signal of a lie on his face.</p><p> </p><p>"Why the hell would you kill yourself in lava?!" He lost his mysterious temper immediately, and laughingly Hongjoong pinched his cheek, enjoying his slipped face.</p><p> </p><p>"I was planning to die anyway, so why not test how lava feels?"</p><p> </p><p>Jongho looked very impressed.</p><p> </p><p>"Wow... That didn't happen to me. But I probably wouldn't have had the chance like you back then either. I'm afraid of heights, blood wasn't my thing back then... And they weren't into drugs and chemicals yet in my age..."</p><p> </p><p>If Hongjoong did the math, Jongho had probably lived some time in the late Middle Ages, around 1400 possibly. The possibilities for suicide were slight compared to Hongjoong.</p><p> </p><p>"So?"</p><p> </p><p>"I drowned myself. But in water, to be fair. Not a pleasant death."</p><p> </p><p>The motive why Jongho had left his wife and three children behind interested Hongjoong, but he wouldn't ask. Instead, he continued to study Jongho’s face to memorize it. He considered him a friend he wanted to remember in his last moments.</p><p> </p><p>Jongho looked disgusted for a moment, then he looked out again into the vast starry sky that had at some point, joined the moon.</p><p> </p><p>"At least you won't have to do it again," Hongjoong knew how to console excellently, of course. Jongho's lips twitched in a humourless smile, then he turned to Hongjoong curiously again.</p><p> </p><p>"And how does lava feel?"</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong grinned broadly.</p><p> </p><p>"I can't tell you that. It's a secret."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong ran away from him, giggling when Jongho immediately reached for him in indignation. He managed to escape through the wall and looked around the corridor a little relieved.</p><p> </p><p>San was leaning against a wall and staring at him in disbelief when he suddenly appeared. Soon, he seemed to find himself again, while Hongjoong, too, had gotten so used to not seeing him that it seemed strange now.</p><p> </p><p>"Do you know where Mingi is?"</p><p> </p><p>The broad-shouldered man only tilted his head questioningly.</p><p> </p><p>"I last saw him at Seonghwa's place when he brought him his food. He had something else to do. He's probably missing a few days for work again."</p><p> </p><p>San had started talking to him more since then. He had changed from one-word answers to whole sentences. Hongjoong guessed that was his sign to go. Mingi had known exactly what he was planning and had avoided a conversation. That he was gone now was a clear sign.</p><p> </p><p>As for Seonghwa... He had already helped him enough. Hongjoong shouldn't push his luck.</p><p> </p><p>"I see... Farewell then.”</p><p> </p><p>It was strange to say goodbye to San. Hongjoong had never liked him, and Yeosang and Yunho were the ones he found most difficult to leave behind.</p><p> </p><p>San did not question it. He let him go.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Going Down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hell was surprisingly bare.</p><p>The place was far more pleasant and even colder than expected. It might have been the religious attitude of Hongjoong’s parents' house, but he honestly expected incessant screams and agonies, with licking tongues of flame and all-consuming clouds of smoke. None of that. Yet, he should have asked Seonghwa for a map first.</p><p>The forest he had landed in, against all expectations, was full of colours. The atmosphere was wrapped in twilight but in bright autumn colours with mysterious paths and dark niches made up for it. It was breathtakingly beautiful here, worthy only of the dwelling of gods.</p><p>Hongjoong almost felt out of place. As he looked down at himself, he noticed the absence of any weapons around his hips. His clothes seemed to have disappeared as well, and his body appeared distorted and ghostly, no longer real. He could probably reach through his own pale shimmering astral form. There seemed to be no bodies of flesh here.</p><p>Hongjoong set out to walk straight ahead and felt no forest floor under his bare feet. Instead of damp earth and sharp needles, he stepped into nothingness. Fascinated, he wandered around a bit. He tested his new immateriality and talked to himself a bit to listen to his singing voice that seemed to echo in his own ears. He didn't see anyone around, but he wasn’t sure if that fact was to blame on magic or the various circles of hell.</p><p>But there were noises. Not screams, but a constant mumbling and whispering that seemed to come from the trees. It was like an ongoing eerie chorus in the back of his head; hundreds of languages he didn't understand. It was beautiful in a scary way, and it suited Seonghwa so well. Hongjoong didn't listen to the seducing promises of the trees. He headed for the first path he saw and hoped to be lucky enough to get where he was supposed to go. Yet, he had no idea what he was looking for in the end, and there were no street signs in hell either.</p><p>It was lonely. Depending on the atrocities in life, souls were apparently punished accordingly. Who knew, maybe some were greeted with eternal loneliness. Or perhaps this was just the entrance area. Everything was possible.</p><p>Hongjoong prepared for a long journey.</p><p>There was no time here, just as in the Obsidian Tower. Hongjoong wandered aimlessly through the forest for what could be hours, searching for something he had no idea what it would look like. The forest did not change. The lights remained the same no matter how many hours he counted in his head. The area did not change either; it was the same forest with the same whispers and identical paths.</p><p>It made no sense to continue like this. So, he changed his tactics relatively quickly. From the path down and up to the shadows and trees, his feet carried him. Only straying would get him out of the vicious cycle he had been thrown into. There, he was a bit more successful in his search but not by far as he would have wished.</p><p>Hongjoong found a strange bear trying to eat him, and he doubted that neutral things existed here. The bear only struck at him once with four shiny claws, then he had already taken flight and was now hurrying even more chaotically through the forest. After all that time down here, Hongjoong had long since lost all hope of a proper search. By now, he was merely trying to ensure his survival, if one could still talk about such things. The beast was, of course, faster than the human.</p><p>To be fair, Hongjoong felt no pain when the animal furiously slapped through him, but he did not feel any false security. Even if it could not do it now, something else could undoubtedly hurt him.</p><p>Just when his head was racing with possibilities to get rid of the drooling beast, to attack, or to escape, one of the deadly paws suddenly detached from its shoulder joint. Hongjoong flinched back as black blood splashed onto him, and the paw fell to the ground before his eyes. The howling monster turned to its attacker in pain and rage.</p><p>It was a woman with long, wild hair and even more feral eyes. She wore a kimono that sank a little over her shoulders and was helpfully knotted around her hips, allowing her more legroom. The two ghastly sickles in her hands shone with blood just like her once pink kimono, which was covered with dried and fresh blood. Paired together with her strangely familiar and crazy eyes, her appearance did not inspire much trust.</p><p>So, Hongjoong ran again, leaving her to chop up the bear and laugh gloatingly.</p><p>She didn't sink a sickle into his thigh after least, but he still didn't get very far.</p><p>From one moment to the next, she suddenly appeared before him and stared him down. Immediately his hands came up defensively, and he flinched back again, trying as politely as he could not get under her bloodstained blades. Great that he was unarmed.</p><p>"I am not here to kill you. I'm here to guide you.”</p><p>Oh?</p><p>Hongjoong watched her suspiciously. He hadn’t received any news from Seonghwa about anything like this.</p><p>"You need not be afraid of me, Hongjoong. I am here to help you against those with whom fear is justified," she continued, still staring through the thick curtain of her dirty hair. Hongjoong really didn't get a good feeling from this ageless woman. At least she seemed to know about the Hongjoong thing. That was actually a good sign.</p><p>"I am Nami." With this, she hooked her sickles to her belt to stretch out her dirty hands towards Hongjoong, waving him closer. Suspiciously, he approached her. He had a sinking feeling that all attempts to escape would be in vain and therefore tried to force down all fear. He relied on his gut feeling that he seemed to know her somehow.</p><p>"I can take you to the old geezers. Don't worry about anything in return," she knew directly what it was all about. More tension fell from Hongjoong and lulled him to safety with the strange, bloodstained savage.</p><p>"...okay," he agreed cautiously, and she smiled a little more sincerely. Then, she turned with flowing hair and purposefully walked ahead, not looking back at him again. Hongjoong rushed to follow her, still trying to figure out where he could know her from. Had she been among the kajis? A hone-onna? A memory from his human life?</p><p>Brooding, he followed the strange figure through the forest she seemed to know like the back of her hand. Not much later, they found themselves in front of a gaping entrance that led deep into the ground. Just like Nami, it did not look very inviting.</p><p>Without hesitation, Hongjoong followed her inside.</p><p>The hell, cave, whatever looked relatively monotonous.</p><p>There was still not a soul in sight apart from them and the few shadows that wisely retreated when Nami passed them. When Hongjoong asked the strange woman about it, she just smiled mysteriously and explained to him that these were monsters that tried to feed on lost souls. Usually, the dead came to this realm by other means, and the demons that lurked here in the dark were always hungry. However, after the bear, nothing attacked them for the time being, which could have been because Hongjoong had the woman with him.</p><p>Nami weirded him out. More than the hunch that she knew something he wasn't allowed to know, he couldn't shake the feeling that he knew her from somewhere. However, his brain was still so distracted by the whole being dead thing that it didn't offer him the most obvious explanation.</p><p>Two things should have struck him about her earlier.</p><p>How her face looked so familiar and how her appearance seemed to ring a bell.</p><p>Maybe she also had ways of blocking his thought processes, who knew.</p><p>Anyway, without a care in the world, he wandered in her protection over the rugged rocks. They passed stalactites and stalagmites and thin bridges over yawning chasms of blackness. It was quiet here. Disturbingly quiet. There was no vegetation to whisper about, and whenever claws screeched over rocks, Hongjoong flinched in horror. He couldn't see the sky from here, but the air was still cool and consistently fresh as if a ghostly wind was coming up from somewhere without anyone noticing it. </p><p>At least there was light, which also seemed to come from nowhere. It had nothing to do with natural daylight or with shadows. It was merely there. Contrary to all the laws of nature, the whole cave was bathed in a dim twilight that seemed to brighten up from time to time, but these were just places where the shadows were not so deep. It confused Hongjoong immensely, this absence of the rules of physics, but Nami walked ahead without worrying. She did not speak very much, but rather sought her way determinedly.</p><p>"Without me, you would probably have simply wandered around for centuries. In the forest, yes, but here even more so," she once remarked after a timeless period of walking. Hongjoong just nodded thoughtfully, probably never would have found this path. It rose all the more questions on why she helped him.</p><p>The rocks and the paths hardly changed. Their dreariness dragged down Hongjoong’s mood, and he tried to entertain himself a little, thinking of Yeosang's smile or Mingi's laughter. In the end, he was glad not to have material feet. He would probably have chafed them long ago. It went on and on for ages, and everything looked and behaved the same. Their walking could fill books if it weren't so boring.</p><p>The real change came when Nami led him down another section of the cave, and from then on, she carried her sickles in her bloody hands, always attentive. They were attacked twice within a few steps, and both times Hongjoong had dodged the attack narrowly, while Nami had killed grotesque creatures with too many eyes or limbs. It became more dangerous from here on. The monsters here no longer had any respect for Nami, and there was a constant battle, which ended quickly, but could have been no less deadly.</p><p>Nami explained to Hongjoong that everything that shone could indeed kill him. For example, the claws and teeth of these soul-eating beasts.</p><p>They passed the small, purple torches that now adorned the narrow corridors, and Hongjoong tried not to get too close to the waving flames. They looked ready to rip his eyes out of his skull if he got too close. At some point, he lost track of the exact number of incidents. He had been hit several times, but fortunately only by things that had no shine. However, whenever a new glimmer of light turned a corner in front of us, he immediately took refuge.</p><p>At some point, voices came up.</p><p>Nami put her sickles away and indicated to Hongjoong to be quiet before she turned another corner. Together, they stepped out into a large room.</p><p>They were high up on a lookout point that looked out over a gigantic cauldron. The cauldron bubbled and steamed in a terrible black and also gave off a bestial stench of burnt flesh and sulfur. The sight made Hongjoong’s metaphorical stomach turn.</p><p>"This is the place where the dead are banished to nothingness," Nami calmly explained to him. She pointed with red fingers to a footbridge where poor ghosts like him were walking in rows of two. They were flanked by demon guards, and in a never-ending stream, they were pushed into the cauldron, where they boiled and sank pitifully screaming. It was a gruesome spectacle and oddly impossible. Hongjoong’s brain could not comprehend how the dead died here once more.</p><p>"It is their salvation. If you are reborn, you will not be subjected to torment but will be put directly into a sleep that will only be released when your new life begins. If, for whatever reason, you do not deserve to be born again, you will be punished according to your shameful deeds. Some wander in solitude; others are subjected to agony. After you have worked off the sins of your life, you will end up here, where you will be given up to eternal nothingness. It's a way out, so to speak." Her voice sounded harsh, neither mocking nor pitiful. She just listed the cold facts, and it made Hongjoong shiver.</p><p>Everything here was so complex. From Seonghwa's tower, to here. Everything was hidden from the human eye and incomprehensible.</p><p>"Some souls you see here belong to people who have been dead for four weeks. Others are serving a thousand years." Hongjoong just nodded silently, still unable to take his eyes off how the souls were thrown into the black mass like will-less puppets. Some tried to swim out, only to be swallowed by the viscous tar. Some disappeared so abruptly that he imagined something down there that pulled them and held them down until they were dead. The horrible sight distracted him so much that he almost missed the moment when Nami turned around and walked back the way to start their journey again.</p><p>This time, they did not get very far, indeed.</p><p>Nami had already pulled out her sickles again when they turned the next corner. Hongjoong immediately threw himself into an alcove, trying to become invisible when a shimmer on the walls drew their attention to their visitor.</p><p>When Nami saw him, however, her lips lifted to a little smile - a bloodstained grin, it didn't make her any prettier - and she let the weapons sink again.</p><p>"Hachiman, to what do we owe the honour?" Hongjoong had to look twice, but in fact, there, with heavy armour and a long spear in his hand that glowed evilly, stood Mingi.</p><p>And he didn't seem very happy to see them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Ending</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mingi's gaze wandered from Nami to Hongjoong and back again, and his dark eyes were cold. He lacked the usual warmth and intimacy that Hongjoong was used to from him. The human may have moved one step closer to Nami anxiously as if to protect her from Mingi.</p><p> </p><p>"Aren't you normally to be found in other planes?" Nami asked politely despite the apparent threat. Mingi sighed deeply, lowering his head covered by a horned helmet a little.</p><p> </p><p>"I could say the same about you. If Seonghwa didn't send you personally, you'd better have a good explanation of what you're doing with that boy there." Mingi retorted, grumbling. His warning look met Hongjoong’s eyes, making him tense.</p><p> </p><p>Was Nami evil?</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong returned the gaze unknowingly and shifted his weight on his other leg unobtrusively. He was ready to take a leap away from Nami at any time, even if she was likely the fastest of the two of us.</p><p> </p><p>"Relax, darling. I'm actually here specifically for his escort. You would have lost the little one without me."</p><p> </p><p>Interesting.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong looked at Nami's still confusingly familiar profile. He was waiting for Mingi, who at least relaxed a little bit. He now looked at them in a critical and even confused way.</p><p> </p><p>"Why is he trying so hard? He is only... Well, nevermind. I hope you know what you are doing, Izanami."</p><p> </p><p>It was like Hongjoong was hit on the head.</p><p> </p><p>Of course. Izanami, it was.</p><p> </p><p>The murderous matron of death with her two sickles and hair covered in blood. The first woman from whom all humans had descended, the primordial mother. Seonghwa's older sister and before him mistress of the realm of the dead.</p><p> </p><p>It could have occurred to Hongjoong. No, he should have known.</p><p> </p><p>His gaze twitched from her back to Mingi, who seemed to read the shock right off his face. With a sigh, he pulled his helmet off his head.</p><p> </p><p>"Can you give us a moment? You have the time," he turned seriously to Izanami. She just smiled understandingly before she disappeared around the next corner.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong stared at Mingi.</p><p> </p><p>"Is that why you are here? Are you sending souls to eternal damnation?" The question that had been on the tip of Hongjoong’s tongue since his arrival burst out. Mingi hurried to shake his head, looking around as if someone might have heard them.</p><p> </p><p>"No, no, it is for Seonghwa to judge. I amspecific the overseer of the demons down here. You know, as commander, I have to keep an eye on them and-"</p><p> </p><p>"So, it is you who tortures them. That's why you always smell of smoke.” Hongjoong didn't need any more information to connect the cold facts. Mingi looked down on him helplessly, didn't even find the words to deny it.</p><p> </p><p>"This is where you always disappear, huh?" Hongjoong became a little calmer, even disappointed. Of course, Mingi wasn't a nice guy, they were in hell after all, but at least Hongjoong had had the hope that he would take on a halfway neutral role, not causing any suffering. Yet, he also knew that Mingi gave a fair judgement. But that did not make the cruel nature of his work any better.</p><p> </p><p>Mingi did not regret it. He continued to hold Hongjoong’s gaze firmly, playing the role that had been imposed on him as God.</p><p> </p><p>"It's all right, I think... I have nothing to do with it." Only his mortal friends and allies would have, once they died.</p><p> </p><p>The fact that Mingi carried a glowing weapon proved to Hongjoong that he was also killing souls. If they escaped, if they wandered, maybe he even hunted them down. Perhaps he was one of the obstacles that those who wanted to exchange souls had to overcome. Maybe he was here to kill Hongjoong.</p><p> </p><p>And Seonghwa had sent Izanami to prevent that.</p><p> </p><p>It was mere speculation; there were no connections to really assume. Yet, his presence here, how Mingi had avoided him before and was now so confused by Izanami's appearance and Seonghwa's efforts – they all were clear signs.</p><p>"Can I trust Izanami?" Hongjoong asked, regardless of his treacherous thoughts. Mingi seemed torn with his answer, seemed to have no common denominator.</p><p> </p><p>"Not blindly, no. You can't do that to anyone down here." A hidden warning. "But it will get you there."</p><p> </p><p>They were strange to each other.</p><p> </p><p>"I guess... I should go then. Rescue Yeosang and stuff like that..." Hongjoong said uncomfortably after a long silence. Mingi just nodded woodenly before he stepped aside a step, letting him pass.</p><p> </p><p>"Farewell, Hongjoong," were his last words. Hongjoong left to join Izanami.</p><p> </p><p>The goddess seemed highly amused that he had not recognised her before. Of course, her presence here and the way she appeared and acted was an unmistakable sign, but maybe he had been a little nervous about Yeosang and dying. She could understand and tried to talk to him more, told him colourful stories she knew about, and skillfully avoided the subject of death.</p><p> </p><p>She still frightened Hongjoong, but he now understood better what she was doing here and that she was no direct danger to him. The question of whether Mingi would have killed him without her presence continued to poison his thoughts, but he was determined to take these doubts to his grave. It seemed that it wasn't much further to death anyway.</p><p> </p><p>Indeed, not much later, Izanami announced to him that they had arrived at their destination.</p><p> </p><p>In front of them lay a wide valley, shaped like a moon crater, and in the middle of the grey, dreary place were three chairs. It was impossible to tell at that distance, but Hongjoong knew that the three men with long, white beards on these chairs were the old people he was looking for. The thought made his knees go soft.</p><p> </p><p>So, this is where it would end. In a crater, in the twilight, with the matron of death and the divine trio.</p><p> </p><p>A strange thought. When he had thrown himself into lava, he had not expected it to end like this. The idea with which he had died had nothing to do with the final product.</p><p> </p><p>It was strange. It hadn't felt like that in his lifetime. He had always gotten exactly what he wanted. But in the end, there was no playing with death. Mortality had been his downfall.</p><p> </p><p>Izanami gave him a little smile the last time he met her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"I will wait here. Go and rest in peace."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong nodded to her timidly and then started his descent.</p><p> </p><p>Every single step closer to the three old people felt cumbersome. It was like wading through deep quicksand, a quicksand made of his own doubts and worries. It wrapped itself thickly around his legs and prevented him from moving, making every lifting and lowering of his legs ten times more strenuous than usual. He fought his way through with clenched teeth and would not turn back now. The trio didn't notice him in his inner struggle either; they just waited patiently in their stony seats until he was with them.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong managed somehow. Driven by his concern for Yeosang and the doubt about Mingi.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong stumbled to his knees in front of one of them and peered curiously up into his ancient face. He saw wrinkled skin and sharply protruding bones. The man looked more dead than alive indeed. In addition, his lips and eyelids were sewn together with thin white threads. There was no sight of a nose or ears.</p><p> </p><p>For a moment, Hongjoong hesitated. He didn’t know how to communicate with them and whether they were still alive at all, for they did not look like a powerful trio of gods. They lacked the aura.</p><p> </p><p>But they talked to him before he had to start talking himself.</p><p> </p><p>The old voice was powerful and authoritative in his head. It didn't fit with the lifeless puppets in front of him. He was terrified at first before he hastily interlocked his trembling hands and forced his hectic pulse to rest.</p><p> </p><p>"Speak. What brings you here?” Something asked psychically in his thoughts. Hongjoong didn't know whether he should answer out loud or not, but at least there were no ears, so? He tried it in his mind. He conjured up an image of Yeosang suffering in Yunho's lap and added that he wanted to trade his soul for his.</p><p> </p><p>"As you wish. You are well aware of the consequences, right?"</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong swallowed clumsily and then forced himself to a tremulous nod. He wanted to make it known to them that yes, he knew.</p><p> </p><p>And that was all.</p><p> </p><p>There were no more hard tests, no more discussions. There was only the hand of the old man in front of me, which raised itself to his forehead and touched it gently. Hongjoong saw him reaching him, but he felt no pressure, no warmth, nothing.</p><p> </p><p>For a moment, nothing happened. Then from one second to the next, every function of Hongjoong’s head was blocked. For a long second, he sat in fear, then his consciousness also switched off.</p><p> </p><p>There was no time for last thoughts, but if he had had them, he would probably have thought of Yeosang and sent silent prayers to heaven.</p><p> </p><p>After that, there was nothing more.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong woke up, and that was a problem.</p><p> </p><p>He should not have awakened more.</p><p> </p><p>So, with a jerk, he sat upright and looked around searching. He assumed that the ritual had failed and that he was lying around in that crater, or worse - that now he had to go on living as Yeosang. The trio might have accidentally kept his consciousness and repressed Yeosang instead.</p><p> </p><p>But a glance at his surroundings showed him the velvety red of Seonghwa's bedroom. His legs and hands seemed to be his own as well.</p><p> </p><p>So, then it had failed. Was it because of Izanami? Had Mingi intervened? What the hell had happened?</p><p> </p><p>Searching for answers, Hongjoong jumped off Seonghwa's bed and hurried out the door. The master of the house was not in sight, but that did not worry him at the moment. Much rather, he had to find Yeosang. There had to be a way to help him. There was still time.</p><p> </p><p>In a hurry, Hongjoong ran down the stairs, not wanting to try if he could walk through the walls or not.</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang was not in his room.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Yeosang's room was not in his room.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>It was gone, just disappeared. As if it had never been there. Yunho's and Mingi's doors were the only ones left in the hallway now. The back part was gone, had adapted to the absence of two people.</p><p> </p><p>Honngjoong’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest in fear as he ran off again, into the dining room this time. It was usually dinner time when he didn't meet anyone here.</p><p> </p><p>Before he could reach his goal, however, he was caught in the middle of the race by his arm. He barely avoided slamming into a wall before he looked up with wild eyes and hair at the stranger by his side.</p><p> </p><p>He seemed a bit surprised as if it hadn't been his original plan to actually reach out and grab Hongjoong. His cat-like eyes blinked before he let go of him again.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh... You see me?"</p><p> </p><p>Who was that, anyway?</p><p> </p><p>The new local angel here? No, no wings.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong looked at him suspiciously. He had blond curly hair and tanned skin. Hongjoong noted a little mole on his lower lip.</p><p> </p><p>"...yes? Shouldn't I?" He asked, confused, and impatient. He had to go on, but depending on who this person was, it might not matter anyway.</p><p> </p><p>Now, the man grinned. It was a big and cunning grin that left no doubt that he was well aware of his own beauty. His hand touched Hongjoong’s arm again, caressing his skin.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, at least you haven't so far."</p><p> </p><p>What?</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong flinched as the stranger approached him with a lascivious grin. His gaze heavy on the human’s face under his half-closed eyelids. His fingers clasped around Hongjoong’s wrist to hold him, and he struggled, distraught, though not as much as he'd like to.</p><p> </p><p>"Stay away," he murmured distractedly. He was reacting to the weird guy without meaning to, and it distracted him. This game was not answering any of his questions, either.</p><p> </p><p>Thankfully, he got saved.</p><p> </p><p>"Hands off, he's mine," came rumbling from the dining room at their side. San stood there, pointing with a simple butter knife threateningly at the man in front of Hongjoong, who still wouldn't let go. His skin warm against Hongjoong’s.</p><p> </p><p>"He can see me," the man in front of Hongjoong grinned as if it were the explanation for everything. But then, he began to look back and forth between Hongjoong and San, confused.</p><p> </p><p>"Wait, you can see us both?"</p><p> </p><p>His grip slowly began to hurt, so Hongjoong tried to get away from him again. Still, the man held him firmly, now staring down at him from sceptically raised eyebrows.</p><p> </p><p>A butter knife pierced his arm bluntly before he could go any further. Hongjoong tore himself away from the hissing man’s grip in a hurry as soon as he offered him the chance. He jumped to safety by San's side.</p><p> </p><p>The arm of sin came around his hip and pulled him close to his familiar body. Then, he pointed a fork at the bleeding man, who was holding his arm in a sulking mood.</p><p> </p><p>"This one will hit your eye if you are not careful. It would be such a pity about your pretty face, wouldn't it? Better not move." San warned icily. Hongjoong looked from him to the stranger with big eyes, then flinched when suddenly a second hand touched his right shoulder that was turned away from San.</p><p> </p><p>"Wooyoung... Maybe you should leave," Jongho said softly from his side. With a strange sense of power, Hongjoong watched the man defensively raise his bloody hands, withdrawing. Hongjoong watched him for a moment before he came back to himself and turned hastily to Jongho. He ignored how San buried his nose in his throat, inhaling his still fresh smell of fear.</p><p> </p><p>Jongho looked down at him guiltily.</p><p> </p><p>"Sorry, that was my mortal sin, he-"</p><p> </p><p>"Where is Yeosang? What happened? What am I doing here," Hongjoong interrupted him hastily. His hands trembled as they reached for Jongho’s jacket lapel, gripping unnecessarily hard to stabilise his body.</p><p> </p><p>Jongho immediately put his own hands over Hongjoong’s in a soothing way and tried to smile cautiously.</p><p> </p><p>"A few things have changed, but-"</p><p> </p><p>"WHERE IS YEOSANG?!"</p><p> </p><p>He was almost sorry when Jongho flinched in surprise, but he was panicky. San just laughed softly at his neck, holding him with one arm still possessively pressed against his body.</p><p> </p><p>"Come," muttered the sin at his ear. With his free hand gently released Hongjoong’s hands from Jongho's coat before he led him into the dining room. Helplessly Hongjoong let him do it, then entered the familiar room.</p><p> </p><p>There were four heads sitting at the table, but only one looked up as we approached.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa's beaming smile was back, and Hongjoong stumbled over the air. He reached for San, who was only too happy to catch him.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong’s gaze twitched from Seonghwa's inviting smile over Yunho's tall figure and the back of Mingi's head. He also found a mop of brown hair that he did not know.</p><p> </p><p>Yet there was something incredibly familiar about the figure, though he missed a certain pair of wings.</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa stretched out a leg under the table to gently touch the man's foot. The person looked around confusedly at the oni, who just nodded his grin at Hongjoong. Said human had now detached from San and slowly walked towards the table. The tension in the air was palpable.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong’s heart stopped for God knows which time when the person turned to him. Now, there were these little teeth, expressive features, the birthmark next to his eye. The cherry on top was how, when he opened his mouth, it was the same gentle voice that Hongjoong had loved to listen to in the morning.</p><p> </p><p>"Ah, Hongjoong, you are awake! I could hardly wait until I could finally complain that they had promoted me to a sin! Gluttony, what's that got to do with me, completely cheeky, just because-" That was all he could bring out, for Hongjoong had run across the room towards him as he had nagged. He now bounced uncomfortably against Yeosang’s figure. His hips and knees pushed against hard wood, and Yeosang swallowed his words to reach for him reflexively.</p><p> </p><p>They now had the attention of the whole room on them. Hongjoong felt the sharp burning of tears in his eyes as Yeosang rose to pull him into a bear-like embrace. He stumbled backwards from the force. Hongjoong couldn't breathe, but that was perfectly fine since Yeosang laughed contagiously at his shoulder. They staggered about the room, but Yeosang was here, he was alive, and even though his glow had gone, it was still him.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong couldn't get a word out; he just clung to him and laughed as they staggered through the room, completely stupid. They were accompanied by Seonghwa’s and Yunho's laughter, which had become background noise.</p><p> </p><p>"Somebody’s glad to see me, huh?" That was the first thing Daeyhun managed to say at some point. Hongjoong playfully bit his shoulder, felt his chest vibrate against his in laughter.</p><p> </p><p>"I was terribly worried, you idiot," he brought out with a chopped off hiccup. Yeosang probably snuggled even closer. He smelled so good, and Hongjoong was ready to faint, so great was the relief at the moment. Still, Yeosang wouldn't let him.</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang lifted his head from Hongjoong’s shoulder and parted from him barely enough to smack a big kiss on his forehead. Gleefully, he laughed out loud, and Hongjoong was spellbound by his sweet giggles and how radiant his smile still was.</p><p> </p><p>"What, did you really think I wouldn't make it, huh? I'm not that weak, you know?"</p><p> </p><p>He was so lively, and it left Hongjoong speechless.</p><p> </p><p>So, he just kept looking up at him full of wonder until he pulled his head back against his shoulder. They had stopped stumbling, and now Yeosang was swaying them back and forth, humming.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong honestly never wanted to let him go again.</p><p> </p><p>But then his words came back to him.</p><p> </p><p>"Wait, you are a sin now? How did that happen?" Hongjoong searched for the man’s eyes, confused. Yeosang looked absolutely outraged again.</p><p> </p><p>"Gluttony! Gluttony, Hongjoong! Really, this is ridiculous..." He continued to be indignant. Hongjoong couldn’t help but find him very sweet. He liked to watch a happy Yeosang.</p><p> </p><p>"Hongjoong. Come here; we'll explain," Seonghwa's deep voice tore him out of his thoughts, and oh, they were still there.</p><p> </p><p>Reluctantly, he released himself from Yeosang's safe embrace and went over to the table where San and Jongho had sat down again. All of them were now watching him curiously together with Yunho.</p><p> </p><p>Mingi avoided his gaze, but he had also sat up.</p><p> </p><p>Following the call of Seonghwa's tempting fingers, Hongjoong walked straight towards the Oni and was pulled onto his lap by him as soon as he was close enough.</p><p> </p><p>"If you'll allow me," he said charmingly, while Hongjoong came to sit sideways on his thigh, a warm arm finding his hip. Seonghwa’s breath grazed his neck as he bent closer to whisper at his ear.</p><p> </p><p>"It's good to have you back," he whispered warmly, and a shiver went through Hongjoong's body when Seonghwa strengthened his grip around his figure.</p><p> </p><p>"What do you remember?" The oni asked for all to hear. Hongjoong leaned back as he began to recount the whole, complicated story. He started with Izanami, continued with the cauldron, up until the trio of gods. The only thing he left out was Mingi. He didn't know if it was okay for him to be confronted about it, and maybe they should clarify it between them first in general.</p><p> </p><p>The boys listened intently to the story, and when Hongjoong ended, a big question mark hung collectively over them. Multiple pairs of eyes turned to Seonghwa.</p><p> </p><p>He just grinned at us calmly.</p><p> </p><p>"Nami, do you mind?" He then said, turning to look at the back door. Indeed, the next moment his sister stepped into the room.</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong hardly recognised her.</p><p> </p><p>She had taken on human form and was now wearing long trousers and a white shirt through which he could make out black tattoos over her body. Her hair was short and lighter, her face washed and alert.</p><p> </p><p>She no longer looked like a crazy goddess of death.</p><p> </p><p>"Good to see you again, Hongjoong. Hi, Mingi," she greeted us with a smile. She had clearly overheard what Hongjoong had reported but thankfully did not mind. She came over to gently bury her fingers in Yunho's hair, who leaned his head back against her chest with a relieved sigh, peacefully closing his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Ah, right. They knew each other too.</p><p> </p><p>She nodded briefly to the other three, probably not knowing either of them, but still.</p><p> </p><p>"I am Nami, the elder sister of our little emo child, and also Izanami.”</p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa snorted scandalised.</p><p> </p><p>She ignored him with a very brotherly elegance and continued.</p><p> </p><p>"Seonghwa asked me to accompany Hongjoong because he felt from the beginning that there was something more behind his appearance here. In time, he felt confirmed and asked me to protect him in the underworld. After talking to the geezers, he was supposed to die and his soul to keep Yeosang alive." She looked earnestly through their ranks as she petted Yunho.</p><p> </p><p>"However, my little brother was right, and there was more to Hongjoong than that. So, they sent him back to us and also gave Yeosang a chance to live to celebrate the arrival of a new god.”</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong understood nothing.</p><p> </p><p>"Better than becoming a yokai, but what? Our Hongjoong is a god? Hongjoong, why didn't you tell us?”</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong blinked at Yeosang. Then he slowly looked back at Nami, who was watching him with a gentle smile.</p><p> </p><p>"I know nothing about this... There must be some mistake."</p><p> </p><p>Nami shook her head firmly.</p><p> </p><p>"Negative. You are now Betzalel, the god of thievery and protection. It was the very human act of trying to save Yeosang and sacrificing yourself in the process that convinced the ancients. Welcome to the club," she greeted him somewhat proudly. Hongjoong was relatively sure that Yunho had fallen asleep, although they were all sitting here completely confused, and only Seonghwa was smiling smugly.</p><p> </p><p>"I don't understand."</p><p> </p><p>Nami laughed.</p><p> </p><p>"You don't have to; it comes with time. But that explains why you are back here, and Yeosang is fine."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong looked puzzled at Seonghwa. He needed some kind of confirmation from him, but the oni looked past Hongjoong to Nami.</p><p> </p><p>"Please join us for dinner. You can try to explain everything," he invited her with a smile. She only seemed sceptical for a moment, then she raised her shoulders and sat down next to Jongho. With a polite smile, the patted the seat beside her.</p><p> </p><p>"Come here, sweetie, I'll do my best to teach you everything."</p><p> </p><p>Hongjoong obeyed on autopilot and left Seonghwa's lap to walk to her, settling down next to her.</p><p> </p><p>"When did you know?" Mingi asked Seonghwa with fascination, and he just raised his shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>"I had his ideas when I met him, and from then on, more and more pointed to it... But it was probably when I saved him out there. The yuki-onna couldn't kill him." He nodded at the window. Hongjoong made himself smaller, trying not to think about it.</p><p> </p><p>"A divine kiss! I am still <em>so</em> jealous, Hongjoong," Yeosang jumped at it immediately, and Seonghwa's lips twitched in a grin as Hongjoong tried to hide behind Nami.</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang started blubbering, retelling the story to everyone at the table, always stressing how much he envied Hongjoong for it. Seonghwa finally got enough, and he rose laughingly to go to Yeosang. He grabbed the former angel's face and pressed his lips directly onto his, finally giving them all some rest.</p><p> </p><p>Jongho laughed out loud, and even San had a strange-looking smile on his face. Yunho giggled childishly at Yeosang's ridiculously wide eyes and how he clung to Seonghwa.</p><p> </p><p>The oni retreated before he would overwhelm their poor Yeosang, grinning mischievously at the other. Yeosang sat under him with his mouth open in disbelief.</p><p> </p><p>"What-what was that?" He stuttered frantically, and Seonghwa tapped his nose with his index finger, laughing a little.</p><p> </p><p>"You're not an angel anymore, idiot. There's nothing stopping you from kissing me."</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang jumped him.</p><p> </p><p>The rest of them could only laugh. So, this was it, now. Hongjoong’s new life was far away from the initial destination he had come here with.</p><p> </p><p>But hey, immortal he was now anyway.</p><p> </p><p>Wish granted.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello! I want to thank everybody who cared to read this and I hope despite some things getting lost in translation everybody could enjoy and understood well ^^ There is a little spin-off one shot of their lives after this that I will add tomorrow! See you there and thanks a lot for the support!</p><p>Find me on Twitter @Susimau_s for information on my writings!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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